Turkish specialists successfully neutralized on Monday a mine discovered in the Black Sea near the border with Bulgaria, the Turkish Ministry of National Defense said in a statement.
"Underwater defense teams neutralized the mine detected on March 28, 2022, off the town of Igneada," the statement said.
On March 26, the Dogan News Agency reported that an object resembling a mine was discovered by fishermen. Later, the Turkish Ministry of National Defense issued a statement affirming that the object in question was neutralized. According to Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar, he discussed this issue with Russian and Ukrainian representatives. Akar also stated that after the incident, Turkish Navy minesweepers were put on duty in the region.
On March 19, Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) reported that mines placed by Ukraine’s Navy at the approaches to Black Sea ports may drift toward Bosporus and the Mediterranean Sea due to cable breaks. The agency stressed that Ukraine’s armed forces have "once again demonstrated [their] utter ignorance of fundamental international laws and disregard for human lives, including [those] of European Union nationals."
According to the 1907 Hague VIII (Convention relative to the Laying of Automatic Submarine Contact Mine), international law prohibits the placement of automatic anchor mines, which are not rendered harmless once they break their moorings.
