Drifting marine mines, a threat to Black Sea merchant ships

Due to the military conflict in Ukraine, drifting sea mines pose a threat to merchant ships crossing the Black Sea daily, explained the head of the Romanian Naval Forces, Vice-Admiral Mihai Panait. He stressed the importance of the Task Force to combat sea mines, an initiative of the allies Romania, Turkey and Bulgaria.

Mihai Panait: In order to strengthen cooperation, the frigate "Regina Maria" and a special forces detachment are currently taking part in an operation in the Mediterranean Sea under the European Union flag, and from the second half of the year the frigate "King Ferdinand" will be under NATO flag in the "Sea Guardian" mission.

The annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation was the key to gaining dominance of the Black Sea, said retired Ukrainian Admiral Ihor Kabanenko.

Ihor Kabanenko: The struggle for maritime control by asymmetric means has become the target of the Ukrainian army at sea. This approach has proved cost-effective, protecting the Ukrainian coastline. These maritime symmetric operations broke the Russian blockade and allowed Ukraine to move south, inflicting heavy losses on Russian naval forces.

The eighth Black Sea and Balkans Security Forum focused on defence, security and international relations issues in the wider Black Sea and Balkans region in the context of the military conflict in Ukraine.

Translated by: Radu Matei