Mine clearance in Mykolaiv and Kherson may take up to five years

It will take Ukraine up to five years to clear hundreds of sea mines in the waters of Mykolaiv and Kherson. Four countries are planned to be involved in the demining.

This was reported by Ukrinform with reference to a briefing by Dmytro Pletenchuk, a spokesman for the Ukrainian Navy.

He explained that demining in the sea is more difficult than on land because of the dynamic nature of the environment and the multilayered coordinates - width, depth, and possible movement of mines due to currents or storms.

Pletenchuk noted that due to the destruction of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant, not only sea mines, but also river, anti-landing and conventional mines got into the sea. This creates additional difficulties for work in the Dnipro-Bug estuary and in the Black Sea.

Mine clearance will take place in several stages. The first one, lasting 3-7 months, will cover the clearance of ports and ship berths, including the blocked Kherson and Mykolaiv ports. The main stage will last 3-5 years and cover most of the water area. However, it is difficult to completely eliminate the risk by leaving the mine.

According to the spokesperson, for large-scale demining, Ukraine is counting on the support of partners in the Black Sea region, such as Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey and Georgia. These countries already face a mine threat, as mines sometimes reach their shores. Work is now underway to train specialists and verify co-authors.

International cooperation on this issue is critical, as only joint efforts will ensure safety in the Black Sea waters.

Earlier, Pletenchuk reported that the intensity of mining in the Black Sea had dropped to almost zero. However, the biggest danger now is posed by previously installed mines that can be torn from their anchors and moved due to stormy weather.

Since the beginning of the full-scale war, 60 foreign vessels have been blocked in the ports of Mykolaiv and Kherson regions.

About sixty foreign vessels remain in these ports, having been there at the beginning of the full-scale Russian aggression. These vessels have been there for more than two years, and some of them have even been damaged. They had crews on board who had been injured by shelling. Out of all the ports, only the ports of Greater Odesa are actually working now, which limits export and logistics opportunities.

Bulgaria, Romania, and Turkey signed an agreement to establish a coalition to clear the Black Sea of mines on January 11, 2024. The coalition's activities will be exclusively peaceful. After signing the agreement, an operational planning process will begin to develop detailed documents and instructions for the group's actions.

Анна Бальчінос