Black Sea

In an interview published on Friday by the Turkish newspaper Sabah, Turkey's Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar announced that Ankara is seeking to conduct offshore surveys for hydrocarbons in Libyan maritime zones.

The task forces of Türkiye, Romania and Bulgaria have embarked on a joint mission to detect and clear mines in the Black Sea under an agreement ratified earlier this year.

The National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology has issued a yellow code for hot weather across the entire country today. Maximum temperatures are expected to range between 34°C and 39°C, with slightly cooler temperatures along the Black Sea and around 33°C in Sofia.

Türkiye braces for a substantial temperature surge in the coming week as some parts of the country are likely to reach a blistering 40 degrees Celsius, prompting citizens to exercise caution.

The air temperature will generally rise 6 to 10 degrees above seasonal norms, particularly affecting southern, central and western parts of the country.

The spring session of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly commenced with a call from Bulgaria to bolster NATO security in the Black Sea and the Western Balkans. The event is being hosted in Sofia.

In 2023, Russia had relocated most of its Black Sea Fleet vessels from Crimea to Novorossiysk following a series of Ukrainian strikes, including a major missile attack on the fleet’s headquarters in Sevastopol

Dmytro Penteleychuk, head of the Joint Coordination Press Center for Southern Ukraine's Defense Forces, suggested that the Russian occupiers might have lost their last cruise missile carrier in Crimea. During a telethon, he discussed the results of the recent Ukrainian attack on the Russian Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol's port.

Along the Southern Black Sea coast, preparations are in full swing for a successful and peaceful summer season, as confirmed by Minister of Tourism Evtim Miloshev following discussions with local authorities and control institutions. Expectations are high for increased tourist enrollment and institutional readiness.

In a significant move towards bolstering security in the Black Sea region, the Turkish Parliament has ratified a memorandum paving the way for the establishment of a Mine Countermeasures Naval Group. This development was underscored by Bulgaria's Caretaker Defence Minister, Atanas Zapryanov, during the Black Sea security conference held in Sofia.

Ukraine's military intelligence, the Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR) of the Ministry of Defense, has reported significant damage to a Russian landing craft, the Yamal. The assault on the Yamal, a large Russian amphibious assault ship, occurred on Sunday morning and resulted in serious impairment to the vessel.