Türkiye Leads Black Sea Mine-Countermeasure Activation With Romania, Bulgaria

By Bosphorus News Defense Desk

Türkiye is leading the 10th activation of the Mine Countermeasures Black Sea Task Group from June 13 to 24, with Turkish, Romanian and Bulgarian naval vessels operating under the trilateral mechanism created to protect maritime traffic from mine threats in the Black Sea.

Türkiye's Ministry of National Defence said the activation includes TCG Ütğm. Arif Ekmekçi and TCG Ayvalık from Türkiye, ROS CPT Constantin Dumitrescu from Romania and BGS Priboy from Bulgaria. The mission is part of the Mine Countermeasures Black Sea framework, which brings together the three Black Sea littoral NATO members in a regional maritime security format.

The mechanism was launched after the Russia-Ukraine war increased the risk posed by drifting mines in the Black Sea. Türkiye, Romania and Bulgaria signed the memorandum for the task group in Istanbul in January 2024, establishing a three-country structure focused on mine surveillance, identification, neutralization and related maritime safety tasks.

The 10th activation keeps the Black Sea security file in the hands of littoral states rather than turning the mission into a wider NATO naval deployment. That distinction remains important under the Montreux Convention regime, which gives Türkiye control over naval passage through the Turkish Straits and shapes the presence of non-littoral military vessels in the Black Sea.

Türkiye also raised Black Sea security in recent Fidan-Lavrov talks in Ankara, a file covered by Bosphorus News, keeping the mine-countermeasure mission connected to the wider Black Sea security agenda before the NATO summit.

The latest activation continues that operational pattern during Türkiye's current command period, keeping mine-countermeasure work active as Black Sea security remains tied to shipping safety and the Montreux framework.

Sources: Türkiye's Ministry of National Defence, Romanian Defence Ministry, Bosphorus News review and reporting.