Mines in the Black Sea were seized by Russia in Crimea back in 2014 – the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Russia uses naval mines seized from Ukrainian military depots in 2014 in Sevastopol to mine the Black Sea.

The Militarnyi informs about it.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine reported that Russia has come up with a new way of sea robbery, which is the use of naval mines as an uncontrolled drifting ammunition.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine noted that these drifting mines that were found March 26-28, 2022 off the coasts of Turkey and Romania.

In a statement, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry reported that according to the results of the identification, it was established that these were sea mines, which, as of the beginning of 2022, were not registered with the Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

“These mines were seized by the Russian armed forces in 2014 during the military invasion and temporary occupation of the Ukrainian city of Sevastopol.

Therefore, Russia, using sea mines seized in 2014, deliberately provokes and discredits Ukraine to international partners,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

The Foreign Ministry stressed that the aggressor state is trying to hide its illegal activities in the Black Sea, contrary to the principles and norms of international maritime and humanitarian law, and to evade responsibility for war crimes and piracy.

“The deliberate use by Russia of drifting sea mines turns them into a de facto weapon of indiscriminate action, which threatens, first of all, civil navigation and human life at sea in the whole waters not only of the Black and Azov Seas, but also of the Kerch and Black Sea Straits.

The responsibility for the use of drifting sea mines, as well as for their unpredictable consequences, lies solely with the Russian Federation and its naval forces,” the Ministry added.

As reported earlier, on March 26, Turkish authorities closed the passage through the Bosphorus in both directions after reports from the crew of a civilian ship of a suspicious object resembling a sea mine.

As a result of the research, it was established that it was an old-type mine, it was neutralized by Turkish sappers of the submarine defense group, after which navigation through the strait was restored.