Aug. 17, 2024, 11:02 p.m.
As of today, the intensity of mining in the Black Sea has dropped to almost zero.
Dmytro Pletenchuk, a spokesman for the Ukrainian Navy , said this during a national telethon .
According to him, the greatest danger now is posed by previously installed mines that can be torn from their anchors and moved due to stormy weather.
"Since last year, there have been no unpleasant incidents in this regard. The intensity of mining has actually dropped to zero," he said and reminded that a Su-24 aircraft that attempted to remotely mine was destroyed by the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
And the Russians simply do not dare to go out to sea and lay mines now. That is why the situation, according to Pletenchuk, remains stable. He explained that the reason for the movement of mines is the weather conditions. During a storm, some objects can move and mines can rise to the surface of the water.
Earlier, Turkey, Romania, and Bulgaria launched an international operation to clear the Black Sea of mines to ensure the safety of shipping, particularly for Ukrainian grain exports. According to Pletenchuk, mine danger has become a common problem for countries in the Black Sea because of the presence of the Russian Federation, which is responsible for these problems.
"The Black Sea has become a zone where this danger is becoming a threat to the coasts of Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey and even Georgia. Cases of mines hitting the waters of the Turkish Strait, such as the Bosphorus, emphasize the seriousness of this problem," said the Ukrainian Navy spokesman.
The Navy spokesman also said that the occupiers' fleet in Crimea is actually incapacitated after a number of combat units were destroyed. According to Pletenchuk, there is only one patrol ship and five large landing ships that are under repair. There are no submarines there, not counting the destroyed Rostov-on-Don.