Russia Denies Accusations About Mines In The Black Sea, Russia's Defense Chief: We Have Not And Will Not Use Them

Colonel General Mikhail Mizintsev, Director of the Russian National Defense Management Center. (Source: Russian Defense Ministry Press Office/Olga Balashova via TASS)

JAKARTA - The head of Russia's National Defense Management Center Colonel General Mikhail Mizintsev denied Ukraine's allegations related to mines in the Black Sea on Thursday.

He said Ukraine was trying to shift the blame for the security threat, due to the discovery of two mines in the Bosphorus Strait and off the coast of Romania, by blaming Russia.

"The Ukrainian government, in an attempt to evade responsibility for creating a mine threat in the Black Sea, is cynically trying to blame the Russian Federation," he said.

"A statement from the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry indicated that mines found in the Bosphorus Strait and off the Romanian coast were allegedly used by the Russian side as 'uncontrolled drift munitions', he said, referring to the Ukrainian allegations.

General Mizintsev explained, the Russian armed forces during special military operations, strictly and disciplined implemented a whole series of comprehensive measures, to ensure civilian navigation in the waterways of the Black, Azov, and Mediterranean Seas.

"Sea mines have not been used and will not be used," said General Mizintsev.

He underlined that Russia's accusations of using mines were incompetent, unreasonable, and extremely arrogant.

He further explained that Russian specialists identified the discovered naval anchor mine as item 730, which is used only by the Ukrainian navy.

"The Russian Navy does not have these types of mines in service because they were disposed of before 2016," he concluded.

As previously reported, Russia said that a number of mines that Ukraine had installed in the Black Sea were now 'loose', floating in the ocean and whose exact location was unknown, posing a threat to merchant ships.

One mine was neutralized by a team of Turkish specialists, another was detonated in Romania, said Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov.

"Where the remaining Ukrainian mines may be floating at the moment is a concern for many," Konashenkov said.

It is known, According to Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar, he discussed this issue with representatives of Russia and Ukraine. Minister Akar also stated that after the incident, the Turkish Navy minesweeper was assigned to the region.