Black Sea Mine Countermeasures Group Completes First Activation under Bulgarian Command

The first 2025 activation of the Mine Countermeasures Group in the Black Sea (MCM Black Sea) was completed on April 16 under Bulgarian command, marking a new step in regional naval cooperation between Bulgaria, Romania, and Turkey.

This was the fourth overall activation of the MCM Black Sea group since its formal establishment on July 1, 2024, under a trilateral memorandum of understanding signed by the three countries. It is also the first time the group has been led by Bulgaria.

Captain I Rank Pavlin Petkov served as the commander of the overall tactical formation, while Captain I Rank Lachezar Ivanov led the operational group at sea. Participating ships included Bulgaria’s auxiliary vessel Captain I Rank Dimitar Dobrev and minehunter Struma, Romania’s minehunter Chigulescu, and Turkey’s minehunter Akcakoca.

Throughout the activation period, the group visited the Romanian port of Constanta and carried out mine reconnaissance and surveillance operations to counter the threat posed by naval mines. These activities are aimed at ensuring freedom of navigation and safety in the Black Sea, where sea mines remain a concern since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

The ships also participated in Sea Shield 25, a multinational naval exercise hosted by the Romanian Navy, focused on improving coordination and readiness in maritime security operations.

"The integration of our naval forces and the exchange of operational experience continues to strengthen NATO's maritime awareness in the region," officials said during a welcoming ceremony held in Varna, Bulgaria. The event was attended by Fleet Admiral Vanyo Musinski, Deputy Commander of the Bulgarian Navy, along with other senior naval officials from the task group.

The MCM Black Sea Task Group was first proposed by Turkey in August 2023. Following months of negotiations, it was officially launched in January 2024 through a memorandum signed in Istanbul. The task group’s mission is to enhance regional security and safeguard vital sea lanes in the Black Sea from mine threats linked to the ongoing war in Ukraine.