Turkey's Defense Ministry: No Threat to Navigation in Black Sea

Turkey's Defense Minister Hulusi Akar has announced that there is no threat to navigation in the Black Sea following the discovery of a mine. “At present, there are no issues related to cargo transportation,” Akar was quoted by RIA Novosti.

Akar also added that Turkey is ready to provide ships to evacuate civilians and the wounded from Mariupol. “The willingness of Ankara to support the evacuation process has been communicated to the Russian military attaché in Turkey, who has been invited to our defense ministry. Such an initiative has been conveyed to the Russian authorities through the Turkish military attaché in Moscow. We are also coordinating our efforts with the Ukrainian authorities through their military attaché,” he said.

Earlier, Turkish media reported the discovery of an object resembling a mine in the Bosphorus. Later, Turkey's National Defense Ministry confirmed that the discovered object was an old mine and it had been neutralized. Navigation through the strait was temporarily halted during the operation.