Turkish agency debunks claim that mine-clearing ships granted passage through Turkish Straits

By Ozcan Yildirim

The Turkish Disinformation Combat Center rebuffed claims Tuesday that mine-clearing ships were permitted to travel through the Turkish Straits to the Black Sea.

The agency wrote in a statement on X that Türkiye immediately defined Russia's “special military operation” in Ukraine as a "war."

Parties engaged in war have closed the straits to warships, it noted, citing Article 19 of the Montreux Convention.

The statement said Türkiye has applied the Montreux Convention "impartially" and "meticulously" since 1936.

Türkiye, to prevent the escalation of tension in the Black Sea, maintains its "unwavering" determination and principled stance during the war.

“It has been communicated to our relevant allies that mine-clearing ships donated to Ukraine by the UK will not be allowed passage through the Turkish Straits to the Black Sea as long as the war continues,” it said.

The claim circulating on some media that said permission has been granted to mine-clearing ships donated by the UK to pass from the Turkish Straits to the Black Sea is "not accurate," it added.