UK moves to transfer minehunting ships to Ukraine, Türkiye declares "door ban" through two straits

Sputnik reported that on January 2, Türkiye announced that it would not allow two British minehunters to move through the straits in its territory to Ukraine.

Anh rục rịch chuyển tàu săn mìn cho Ukraine, Thổ Nhĩ Kỳ tuyên bố 'cấm cửa' qua hai eo biển

Royal Navy Sandown-class minehunter HMS RAMSEY. (Source: Reuters)

The announcement comes after the UK Ministry of Defence announced last month that it would deliver two Sandown-class minehunters to Ukraine, which Kiev had ordered to help boost its naval capabilities. The two minehunters were launched in 1998 and 2001.

The British Navy decommissioned the two ships in 2022 before selling them to Ukraine.

The Turkish President's office stated that two minehunters supported by Lodnon for Kiev will not be allowed to pass through Türkiye's Bosphorus and Dardenelles Straits if the conflict in Ukraine continues.

The Countering Disinformation Center of the Communications Department of the Turkish President's Office said that members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) have been informed of the news.

The center also denied media reports that the minesweepers would be allowed to pass through the straits connecting the Eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea.

When Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine in February 2022, Turkey invoked the 1936 Montreux Convention, which gives Ankara control over the Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits and blocks military vessels from the warring parties from passing through. The convention exempts military vessels returning to base.

Türkiye also warned countries that do not border the Black Sea about sending warships through the Bosphorus and Dardanelles. According to the Convention, warships of unrelated parties can still pass through the two straits in times of hostilities.

Minehunters search for, detect, and destroy mines. This mission is different from minesweepers, which destroy all mines in an area, not search for them. Ships that perform both of these missions are called mine countermeasure ships.

Since the conflict in Ukraine began, Britain has provided about $5.77 billion in military aid to the Eastern European country. British troops have helped train more than 52,000 Ukrainian soldiers since 2014. Meanwhile, Türkiye maintains good relations with both Russia and Ukraine.

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