site.btaBulgaria to Take Command of Black Sea Mine Countermeasures Group in July

The Bulgarian Navy will assume command of the Black Sea Mine Countermeasures Group during its next activation in July, a senior naval official announced at a news briefing on Tuesday.  

Flotilla Admiral Radko Penev, commander of Bulgaria’s Flotilla of Combat and Auxiliary Ships, said the group will be reactivated under Bulgarian leadership, with its deployable staff and full command structure based in the country.

The multinational unit is currently undergoing another activation cycle under the command of the Turkish Navy. Bulgaria is contributing the minehunter Priboy along with officers assigned to both the deployable and shore-based headquarters.

From Varna, the group’s vessels are scheduled to sail to Constanța, where they will carry out joint tasks with the Romanian Navy and take part in the multinational exercise Sea Shield. Bulgaria is also participating in the exercise with the frigate Verni.

Admiral Penev noted that, alongside its international commitments, the Bulgarian Navy continues to carry out national missions to ensure the safety and clearance of maritime routes. These operations, he said, place significant demands on personnel, ships, and resources.

He emphasized the need for additional mine countermeasure vessels, expressing hope that a forthcoming memorandum of cooperation with Belgium and Netherlands will soon be signed. Bulgaria is expected to acquire around seven new minehunters, though the exact number remains to be finalized. Deliveries would take place over several years, with the first vessel potentially arriving within months of an agreement being reached.

Responding to a question, Admiral Penev said that since the activation of the Black Sea group, no confirmed floating naval mines have been neutralized during its operations. However, mine-like objects have been detected.

In contrast, Bulgarian national naval operations have identified and destroyed nine floating mines in the country’s territorial waters, he added.