Three of the ships passed through the Turkish Strait into the Black Sea on Tuesday, according to a Reuters witness. Turkish sources said the other three vessels are expected to pass through on Wednesday.
The ships include the Korolev, the Minsk and the Kaliningrad, which sailed through the Bosphorus on Tuesday, while the Pyotr Morgunov, the Georgy Pobedonosets and the Olenegorsky Gornyak will sail through the area on Wednesday.
Russia has amassed more than 100,000 troops near the Ukrainian border. The government denies any invasion plans but demands extensive security guarantees, including a promise not to deploy missiles near its borders, a reduction in NATO’s military infrastructure and a ban on Ukraine joining the alliance.
Legally, Turkey, a NATO member country, could close the strait to transit if Russia took military action against Ukraine.
“Turkey is authorized to close the strait to all foreign warships in time of war or when threatened by aggression. Also, it is authorized to deny transit to merchant ships belonging to countries at war with Turkey,” he said. Yoruk Isik, political analyst and director of the consulting firm Bosphorus Observer.
Turkey, which shares a maritime border with Ukraine and Russia in the Black Sea, has said any military conflict would be unacceptable and warned Moscow that an invasion would be unwise.
Source: Ambito
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