Black Sea Mine Threat Eases, but Unmanned Vessel Risks Rise, Bulgarian Navy Says

Jerusalem, 12 July, 2026 (TPS-IL) -- The Bulgarian Navy has reported a decline in the number of sea mines drifting in the Black Sea, the Navy Commander, Rear Admiral Kiril Mihaylov, said in Burgas after the change-of-command ceremony for the Mine Countermeasures Black Sea Task Group (MCM BLACK SEA).

Admiral Mihaylov emphasized that no drifting mines have been detected in Bulgarian waters from 2025 until July 2026, adding that the Navy had destroyed six mines since the start of the war in Ukraine. He stressed the need of constant readiness, noting that a drifting mine was neutralized in Turkish waters less than a month ago.

At the same time, incidents involving unmanned surface vessels (USVs) are increasing, he said, pointing out that some have gone out of control or have been damaged while still armed with explosives. Bulgaria has destroyed three USVs in its waters and dozens of other hazardous objects, including rocket booster debris.

During the ceremony, Bulgaria took over MCM BLACK SEA from Turkey, with Captain Petar Dimitrov as commander of the Task Group. Officials from Bulgaria, Romania and Turkiye stressed the importance of trilateral cooperation for Black Sea security.

The MCM BLACK SEA, set up in 2024 by the three neighbouring countries, has completed ten operations to improve mine countermeasures, surveillance and interoperability. The group’s expanded mission now includes monitoring critical undersea infrastructure, such as pipelines and communication cables, using high-precision sonar systems to strengthen regional maritime security.