Drifting sea mines bring Ukraine war to Turkey’s Bosporus Strait
At least three mines thought to have crossed the Black Sea have been spotted around the north mouth of one of the world’s busiest maritime channels.
ISTANBUL — Istanbul’s Bosporus Strait, one of the world’s busiest waterways, is threatened by naval mines drifting across the Black Sea from Ukraine, posing a danger to maritime traffic in the area.
Three mines have been destroyed over the past two weeks, the third detonated by Turkish military divers near the strait’s northern entrance on Wednesday, raising concerns about the growing risk to the thousands of tankers and container ships that pass through the channel every year.
Ukraine and Russia have accused each other of laying mines. They share the Black Sea coastline with Turkey, Bulgaria, Georgia and Romania.
Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry has accused Russia of setting adrift Ukrainian mines it seized after the 2014 annexation of Crimea to “discredit Ukraine before international partners.” The ministry's statement said Russian Gen. Mikhail Mizintsev warned on Tuesday of the “threat of Ukrainian mines drifting along the coastline of Black Sea states.”
