MOSCOW. July 14 (Interfax) - The Russian military said a dangerous situation caused by mines has been detected along a navigation route in the northwestern part of the Black Sea.
"The Command of the Black Sea Fleet has issued a warning for sea vessels along a navigation route in the northwestern part of the Black Sea due to danger from mines," the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement on Friday.
"The warning for sea vessels has been issued due to the discovery of a Ukrainian naval mine which was drifting uncontrollably, posing a threat to safe navigation by civil vessels," it said.
The Ukrainian Navy planted the mine in early 2022 as part of minelaying operations in coastal Black Sea waters, the Defense Ministry said.
"Similar situations with Ukrainian naval mines being detected have occurred before. In March 2022, two anchor mines laid earlier by Ukrainian forces in waters off the coast of Odessa were discovered while they were drifting near Romanian and Turkish shores. It was pure luck that no tragedy happened at the time," it said.
Due to Ukraine's actions, "unknown numbers of mines are now drifting" in Black Sea waters, the ministry said.