Turkey to block passage of Russian warships in Black Sea; Moscow disputes access claims

NATO member Turkey on Saturday said that it is considering blocking access of Russian warships in crucial straits between Mediterranean and Black Sea after Ukraine called on Turkey to block Russian vessels. “I am calling out to Turkish administration, help Ukraine. We are making a request for Dardanelles Strait to be closed. We ask for sanctions to be imposed on Russia," said ambassador Vasyl Bodnar in a tweet from Ukrainian embassy official in Ankara. 

Turkey issued first official clarification since Zelenskyy's appeal, stating that Turkey has agreed to cut off waterways to Moscow’s warships in one of crucial moves with respect to Russia’s maritime warfare capabilities. Russia, in its fierce response to Turkey, disputed a claim over Black Sea access via Interfax news ncy, that official tification of closure was sent to Moscow. Under Montreux convention, asserted Russia, war vessels sailing in Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits will be allowed to return to port. “If Turkey did go ahead and ban warships from strait, it would break convention,” warned Russia via its state-affiliated Interfax ncy. 

[Credit: AP]

This im provided by Maxar Techlogies shows an overview of deployments at Opuk training area at Black Sea coast of Crimea. [Credit: AP]

1936 international treaty Montreux Convention makes Turkey a strategic and a key player in Ukraine-Russia war as it has power to control Dardanelles and Bosphorus straits, main choke point to Black Sea used by Russian Naval forces to transit in region. treaty grants Turkey sole right to block naval vessels in an event of a war, including if Turkey’s own security is threatened. As several foreign commercial cargo ships, including Turkey’s own Marshall Islands-flagged bulk carrier and Japan’s Panama-registered freighter Namura Queen was hit by a bomb off coast of Odessa and ports of Mariupol, Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan summoned top security officials meeting to take risky step of blocking Black sea access.

Russian Defense Ministry Press Service shows Russian navy ships are seen during navy drills in Black Sea. Russia has insisted that it has right to close areas of Black Sea for foreign naval ships and rejected Ukrainian and Western criticism of move. [Credit: Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP]

This im provided by Maxar Techlogies shows 11 SU-34 aircraft at Morozovsk airbase in Russia. Turkey has right to restrict foreign naval ships' movement in Black Sea. [Credit: AP]

Kremlin's access to key naval base in Syria risks a 'cut-off'

Despite having close ties with Russia's President Vladimir Putin in recent years, Turkey is considering blocking crucial maritime waterways to Russian vessels. Kremlin has a key naval base in Syria, that conducted large naval drills in Mediterranean and Gulf of Oman. Russia’s warships have been heading towards Black Sea from Mediterranean for its military maeuvres. As Russia’s offensive on Kyiv intensified, Russian navy’s Baltic Fleet and rrn Fleet were passing Bosphorus in "a planned manner.”

Russian Defense Ministry Press Service shows Russian navy ships are seen during navy drills in Black Sea. [Credit: Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP]

As many as 140 military warships and more than 10,000 Russian naval forces conducted drills in Black Sea ahead of Kyiv’s all-out invasion. Turkey, which shares a maritime border with Ukraine and Russia in Black Sea, had failed to mediate between Moscow and Kyiv to de-escalate situation. 

Ankara had earlier appeared reluctant to unilaterally execute a blockade of Black Sea straits to Russian navy, citing a clause in international pact. Ships in Mediterranean and Black sea, it said, were able to return to ir home defence bases after transit through Dardanelles and Bosphorus, Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu had said. 

Im: AP