Turkey to ban Russian warships from Black Sea

[inanna]

Last edited Sat Feb 26, 2022, 10:32 AM - Edit history (1)

Source: Guardian

13:48

Turkey will stop Russian warships from passing through the Black Sea, according to Ukrainian prime minister Volodymyr Zelenskiy.

In a tweet, Zelenskiy said that the country had pledged military and humanitarian support for Ukraine.

Turkey will stop warships passing through the Dardanelles and Bosphorus straits, which connects the Black Sea to the Mediterranean.

On Thursday 13 Ukrainian soldiers were killed on the small rocky Snake Island in the Black Sea when bombarded by a ship and by air.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2022/feb/26/russia-ukraine-latest-news-fighting-kyiv-zelenskiy-assault-putin-capital

---

Update at Guardian link:

14:21

There’s some confusion about Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s claim earlier that Turkey had pledged to close the straits to access the Black Sea.

Russia, via the Interfax news agency, had said it has had no official notification of the closure. It’s believed that Zelenskiy’s tweet may have been a request for Turkey to take action, rather than a confirmation that it would be in place.

The Montreux Convention, which governs the Bosporus and Dardanelles straits, says that ships from Black Sea states will be allowed to return to port during wartime. If Turkey did go ahead and ban warships from the strait, it would break the convention.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2022/feb/26/russia-ukraine-latest-news-fighting-kyiv-zelenskiy-assault-putin-capital

[gab13by13]

1. Wow, big news if Turkey is against Putler.

[Nittersing]

2. Many Twitter accounts are saying this is not true

There is no confirmation from Turkey

[PatSeg]

13. Here is more from the Guardian updates

Turkey’s foreign minister, Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, has called on Russia to stop the military operation in Ukraine.

The Turkish foreign ministry said on Saturday that Çavuşoğlu had repeated his offer for Ankara to be a location for peace talks between Russia and Ukraine.

Relations have been warm between Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and Vladimir Putin, but the country occupies an awkward position.

In recent years, Turkey signed a deal with Russia for an air defence system, but it has sold military drones to Ukraine and is a key part of Nato.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2022/feb/26/russia-ukraine-latest-news-fighting-kyiv-zelenskiy-assault-putin-capital

Here's an update to the claim about Turkey:

There’s some confusion about Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s claim earlier that Turkey had pledged to close the straits to access the Black Sea.

Russia, via the Interfax news agency, had said it has had no official notification of the closure. It’s believed that Zelenskiy’s tweet may have been a request for Turkey to take action, rather than a confirmation that it would be in place.

The Montreux Convention, which governs the Bosporus and Dardanelles straits, says that ships from Black Sea states will be allowed to return to port during wartime. If Turkey did go ahead and ban warships from the strait, it would break the convention.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2022/feb/26/russia-ukraine-latest-news-fighting-kyiv-zelenskiy-assault-putin-capital

[Nittersing]

14. And this (from the same link)

"There’s some confusion about Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s claim earlier that Turkey had pledged to close the straits to access the Black Sea.

Russia, via the Interfax news agency, had said it has had no official notification of the closure. There is speculation that Zelenskiy’s tweet may have been a request for Turkey to take action, rather than a confirmation that it would be in place.

The Montreux Convention, which governs the Bosporus and Dardanelles straits, says that ships from Black Sea states will be allowed to return to port during wartime. If Turkey did go ahead and ban warships from the strait, it would break the convention."

[PatSeg]

16. Yep, I evidently saw that

at the same time you did and updated my post.

That update wasn't there when I first went to the site.

[blue-wave]

3. Oh, this is good!!!!

The noose is getting tighter around the Russians every hour. There's a long way to go, hopefully momentum stays with the Ukrainians.

[Chainfire]

4. That certainly appears to be a positive development.

It doesn't yet place me in the Turkey cheering section, but at least I have stopped throwing rotten eggs at them for the moment.

[MaryMagdaline]

8. Good assessment

[Tetrachloride]

5. as an aside, Istanbul has 2 international airports

One is pretty close to the straits, on the western side.

and some geography

The Straits are narrow. Not as narrow as the Suez Canal but still.

Bonus trivia. I flew over the Straits last year

[MaryMagdaline]

6. Wow! Putin is uniting NATO nations

[Lonestarblue]

7. Even Erdogan can see that Putin is deranged and trying to start WWIII.

No European country is safe in a world war on their continent. Major Western newspapers need to start usingnheadlines calling Putin deranged. Other top Russian officials are the only ones who can stop him—by whatever means necessary—from destroying their own country as sanctions cut them off from the global economy and world opinion helps destroy their future. If China’s Xi would announce that he does not support Putin and refuses to allow him to use Chinese financial resources, most of the world would be aligned against Putin, and that would be excellent.

[Scrivener7]

9. Russia is so screwed.

Though I do feel for all those tens of thousands of Russians who are risking everything to protest the war, and who will be the ones who pay the economic price for Vlad's vanity project.

[onecaliberal]

32. Ukraine is screwed. They are fighting alone.

[Scrivener7]

33. My fear is you are right, my hope is you are wrong. But win or lose, Russia loses. And loses big.

Did you see that Germany was blocking sending weapons to Ukraine, but they just stopped blocking it?

Wish they had done it sooner, but it should help.

[onecaliberal]

34. Countries are sending weapons, thankfully. Russia is becoming isolated in the world.

Ukrainian men are fighting in the country alone is what I meant.

[Scrivener7]

36. I know. And it's a lot of civilians who were living like you and me four days ago.

It's heartbreaking.

[onecaliberal]

37. My daughter has been to Ukraine many times on mission trips over the last 15 years.

We know Ukrainian people who go back and forth with family here. I have photos of my grandson at the zoo in Kiev. It feels very personal when you know people and yes, they are great people. I am terrified for friends.

[Scrivener7]

38. I am so sorry. I know how that feels.

Not in this conflict, but in others.

[electric_blue68]

43. I hope your friends will be as safe as possible

[FailureToCommunicate]

10. Great if true. By treaty Turkey controls the straits.

[Tetrachloride]

11. Istanbul new airport is truly a crossroads of ethnicity

I used Starbucks, a Burger King and a local Istanbul chain during my layover.

I was nervous so I used Burger King first on the upper restaurant area. I should have gone directly to the local one on the left.

not many places to charge the phone so I went to Starbucks.

Turkey is way more relaxed on Muslim customs than other countries.

I did see plainclothes airport police interrogate someone for an hour.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Istanbul_Airport

[Lovie777]

12. Well shit about time . . ..

those brave souls could have survived

[Nittersing]

15. THIS INFO IS NOT VERIFIED

I really want it to be true... but even your original link is questioning the veracity.

[inanna]

18. Thanks. Thread has been updated.

[Nittersing]

19. Thanks! nt

[MineralMan]

17. Doubtful. Turkey does not have that capability, I think.

Further, I doubt that Turkey would attempt to physically block a Russian warship from entering the Black Sea. Nope.

[reACTIONary]

22. I think so also. That would set up...

... a direct confrontation between a NATO country and Russia, which would be a trigger for a larger conflict.

[paleotn]

26. Depends on if the Russians want to push it.

Militarily, it's not hard against surface warships. Both straights are the choke points of choke points. And there's no love lost historically between the Turks and the Russians. Question is, does Turkey want to get potentially drawn into the conflict, i.e, actually firing on Russian warships who ignore the blockade? No other way to stop them if Russia simply ignores the Turks. That might draw in the rest of NATO into a shooting war if the Russians get really sporty about it.

[MineralMan]

27. I think the Turks are smart enough not to fire on

a Russian warship. Yes, I do.

[paleotn]

29. Let's hope.

But if Turkey is serious, that's the only way to make it stick. Otherwise, the Russians simply ignore it thinking Turkey doesn't want to start a world war. Too many potential flash points with NATO members. This thing can get out of control in a hurry.

[riversedge]

20. Come on Turkey--be a hero!! time to break any old convention. #standwithUkraine

[muriel_volestrangler]

21. While closing the straits might break the Montreux Convention, this breaks laws:

Turkish-owned ship hit by bomb off coast of Odessa, no casualties - Turkish authority

ANKARA, Feb 24 (Reuters) - A Turkish-owned ship was hit by a bomb off the coast of Ukraine's port city Odessa on Thursday, Turkey's Maritime General Directorate said, adding there were no casualties and the ship was safely en route into Romanian waters.

Russia on Thursday launched a ground and air offensive into Ukraine.

"Upon information that the Marshall Islands-flagged Turkish-owned Yasa Jupiter ship was struck by a bomb off the coast of Odessa, it was learned that the ship has no request for help, is en route to Romanian waters, has no casualties and is safe," the authority said on Twitter.

https://www.reuters.com/world/turkish-owned-ship-hit-by-bomb-off-coast-odessa-no-casualties-turkish-authority-2022-02-24/

It wouldn't surprise me if Turkey felt they are justified in restricting hostile ships that have fired on their merchant fleet.

[muriel_volestrangler]

23. Update - "yet to make a decision" - official Turkish reaction

Turkey has said it is yet to make a decision on closing its straits between the Mediterannean and the Black Sea to the Russian Navy– despite an earlier claim by Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy.

It’s the first official clarification since Zelenskiy said on Saturday that Turkey had agreed to close the waterways to warships – which would have been a big defensive boon for Ukraine.

According to Reuters, a Turkish official said it “has not made a decision to close the straits to Russian ships”.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2022/feb/26/russia-ukraine-latest-news-fighting-kyiv-zelenskiy-assault-putin-capital?page=with:block-621a3a1d8f08db56730fccbf#block-621a3a1d8f08db56730fccbf

[inanna]

25. Thanks for update.

[TomWilm]

28. IF a Turkey ban should come, it will not be a NATO ban ...

... and I do not believe in this. Turkey has a quite independent position in NATO, and has several times asked for Article 5 help after attacks from Syria - which has been rejected by NATO every time. And that would probably be the case here again, since it would be kind of a self-inflicted wound.

But in this new crazy world...

[inanna]

30. UPDATE

3m ago
15:16


Ukraine increasing pressure on Turkey to close straits to Russian warships

Ukraine is increasing pressure on Turkey to close the Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits to Russian warships, following a tweet from president Volodymyr Zelensky widely interpreted to mean that Turkey had agreed to the closure, reports Ruth Michaelson from Instanbul.

Turkey has so far made no public statements confirming that it has decided to close the straits to Russian warships, although president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke with Zelensky by phone earlier today, stating that Ankara is attempting to push for an immediate ceasefire.

(snip)

If Turkey chooses to close the Bosphorus and Dardanelles to Russian warships, preventing them from accessing the Black Sea, it would be a significant move in terms of both cutting off long term Russian support to their troops in Ukraine as well as a significant show of support to Ukraine.

A ban would prevent Russian warships normally permanently stationed around the world from sailing into the Black Sea to assist troops in Ukraine. However, Turkey is unable to prevent ships permanently stationed in the Black Sea from returning to their bases.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2022/feb/26/russia-ukraine-latest-news-fighting-kyiv-zelenskiy-assault-putin-capital

[L. Coyote]

31. Russian Warshipos, Go Fuck Yourselves.

[Martin68]

39. Can Turkey enforce that action against Russia?

[LetMyPeopleVote]

40. This will be fun to watch

[roamer65]

41. If Turkey closes the Dardanelles and Bosporus Straits, get ready for a larger war.

It needs to be done, but Russia will react.

[Rocknation]

42. You don't need a military warfare education

To realize that's kind of inconvenient


Rocknation