Envoy: Türkiye prevented Russia from seizing Odesa and Mykolaiv by closing its straits

Türkiye's closure of the Bosporus and Dardanelles straits has prevented Russia from seizing Odesa and Mykolaiv, said Ukrainian Ambassador to Türkiye Vasyl Bodnar.

"The fact that Türkiye has closed the straits, I believe, prevented Russia from using its advantage at sea to seize Odesa, Mykolaiv and other territories, which, according to Moscow's plans, should be occupied as a result of operations by sea," the diplomat said in an interview with Ukrainian media, Caliber.Az reports.

In late February 2022, Türkiye closed off the Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits to warships from any country, whether or not they border the Black Sea, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The closure of these straits played a crucial role in limiting Russia's military capabilities in the Black Sea during the war in Ukraine, mainly preventing Russian warships from accessing the Sea. According to the Montreux Convention, Türkiye can close the straits to all foreign warships in times of war, and this restriction has significantly impacted Russia’s naval operations.

İn addition, the closure contributed to halting Russian efforts to further target Ukraine's strategic ports, such as Odesa and Mykolaiv, thus limiting their ability to escalate the conflict by seizing key Ukrainian coastal cities. 

According to Naval News, no country has tried to send warships through the Bosphorus or Dardanelles straits since Türkiye issued its warning.

By Khagan Isayev