Since the start of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, 161 naval mines have been neutralised in the Black Sea, most of them by Ukraine.
This was reported in updated data published on the website of Romania’s Ministry of National Defence.
“The Romanian Naval Forces have destroyed nine drifting naval mines out of a total of 161 mines neutralised in the Black Sea within the countries’ exclusive economic zones,” the ministry said.
Ukraine has neutralised the largest number of naval mines — 133. Türkiye has neutralised 11 mines, Bulgaria six, while Georgia and Russia have each neutralised one.
To counter the mine threat in the Black Sea, Romania, Bulgaria and Türkiye established the MCM Black Sea task group. Its mission is to ensure freedom of navigation in international waters through surveillance, reconnaissance and the neutralisation of threats to maritime traffic, including drifting mines.
In July this year, the three countries agreed to expand the responsibilities of MCM Black Sea to include the protection of critical underwater infrastructure. The relevant amendment to the memorandum establishing the group was signed during the NATO summit in Ankara.
