Shipping and coastal communities around Ukraine’s major seaport hub of Odessa received a warning from military officials on Tuesday over the high risk of naval mines drifting along the coast and washing ashore.

Ukraine and Russia have accused each other of using mines off the Ukrainian coast, which prevents safe navigation in the region. The Soviet-made mines were anchored, but in a storm some of them could come loose and be carried by the current.

“There is a high probability of naval mines breaking off their anchors and washing up on the shore, as well as drifting along the coast,” Serhiy Bratchuk, spokesman of Odessa military administration, wrote on Telegram messaging app.

“Since March last year, Russia has continued to use anti-ship mines on anchors as an unguided weapon against Ukraine,” he said in a separate video.

Marex Media