Official Ankara denies the information that it permitted two minesweepers, which Britain is handing over to Ukraine, to enter the Black Sea.
Turkey blocks the entry of British ships into the Black Sea
Representatives of the Center made this statement to combat disinformation under the administration of Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
They drew attention to the fact that the reports of certain foreign media that "the minesweepers donated to Ukraine by Great Britain were allowed to pass through the Turkish straits into the Black Sea" are fakes.
In addition, the Center recalled that official Ankara, which is the guarantor of the Black Sea straits of the Bosphorus and Dardanelles following the Montreux Convention, closed them "to the warships of the warring parties (Russia and Ukraine)."
Our respective allies have been duly informed that minesweepers donated to Ukraine by Great Britain will not be able to pass through the Turkish straits to the Black Sea as long as the war continues, the Turkish side said.
According to the team of Recep Tayyip Erdogan, this decision provides an opportunity to "prevent escalation in the Black Sea".
Britain transfers its ships to Ukraine: what is known
In December 2023, it became officially known for the first time that Great Britain decided to transfer two of its minesweepers to Ukraine.
It is essential to understand that this happened against the background of the announcement of the creation of the Coalition of Naval Forces and Means, which will be responsible for strengthening Ukraine's naval capabilities.
Within its borders, London and Oslo, for the first time, announced the provision of two Sandown-class minesweepers of the Royal Navy to Ukraine.
