Three NATO states aim to form Black Sea mine clearance unit - Bloomberg
Three NATO states aim to form Black Sea mine clearance unit (Getty Images)
Bulgaria, Türkiye, and Romania have discussions to form joint forces to neutralize mines that may enter their waters in the Black Sea, according to Bloomberg.
Citing two unnamed officials, media reports the three NATO members are still working out the details of such an initiative but may set up a unit as early as next month.
The new force is intended to be entirely peaceful and "won’t bring any new NATO vessels to the sea", two of the officials said.
One of the goals of the mission is to show the three countries are capable of addressing the problem themselves
As media notes, forming a mine clearance unit will be the first allies' major joint step in the Black Sea since Russia started a full-scale war against Ukraine.
Background
An explosion occurred near a Turkish cargo ship on October 6. It was heading to the Ukrainian port of Izmail in the Black Sea.
The ship's crew suspects that a sea mine may have exploded. The Black Sea has been contaminated with mines following the invasion of Russian occupiers into Ukraine.
