Live Update: Russia’s “Special Operation” In Ukraine; Day 291

Romania’s navy has defused a naval mine that had drifted close to its Black Sea shore, the Ministry of National Defence says.

Mines began floating in the Black Sea after Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, and Romanian, Bulgarian and Turkish military diving teams have been defusing those drifting in their waters.

The ministry added the navy was alerted by a Turkish cargo ship to a mine drifting about 2.5 nautical miles (4.6km) north of the Black Sea port of Constanta, Romania.

The Black Sea is crucial for shipping grain, oil and oil products. Its waters are shared by Bulgaria, Romania, Georgia, Turkey, Ukraine and Russia.

The mine defused on Saturday was the fourth handled by the Romanian military since March. Since the war started, Turkey, Romania, Bulgaria and Ukraine have destroyed roughly 40 mines in the western Black Sea.

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Russia used Iranian drones to hit Odesa energy facilities: Ukrainian officials

Russia used Iranian-made drones to hit two energy facilities in Ukraine’s southern port city of Odesa, Ukrainian officials say.

Ukraine’s Prosecutor General’s Office said two power facilities in the Odesa region were hit by Iranian-made Shahed-136 drones.

Fifteen of those drones, which carry an explosive payload and fly into their targets, were launched on targets in the southern regions of Odesa and Mykolaiv, and 10 were shot down, Ukraine’s armed forces said on Facebook.

Odesa, Ukraine’s largest port city, had a population of more than 1 million people before Russia’s February 24 invasion.

Maksym Marchenko, governor of the Odesa region, stated Russia used “kamikaze drones”, which fly into their targets rather than bomb or fire on them. He added two had been shot down over the Black Sea.

Both Tehran and Moscow have repeatedly denied claims that Iran has provided Russia with weapons to be used in the war in Ukraine.