Environmental and Transboundary Impacts of Naval Mine Warfare in the Black Sea: Legal and Ecological Perspectives

Asm Mahmudul Hasan

doi:10.35229/jaes.1894561

EN TR

Environmental and Transboundary Impacts of Naval Mine Warfare in the Black Sea: Legal and Ecological Perspectives

Abstract

Naval mines deployed in the Black Sea as part of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict have introduced considerable transboundary and environmental risks and have raised legal concerns under international law. This article takes an interdisciplinary approach to assess the ecological effects of mine warfare in the marine environment and reviews the relevant legal frameworks (Hague Convention VIII of 1907, UN Convention on Law of Sea (UNCLOS), Bucharest Convention) and customary international humanitarian law. The article focuses on the environmental effects of drifting/uncontrolled mines that drift due to hydrodynamic currents or under extreme weather conditions, which threaten marine biodiversity, coastal ecosystems, commercial fisheries and regional maritime safety. Additionally, the article conducts an evaluation of mine incidents from documented sources from 2022 to 2024 to evaluate compliance with key principles, including distinction, proportionality, notification and the obligation to prevent marine pollution. The article demonstrates that the existing legal mechanisms related to naval mine deployment fail to sufficiently address the environmental aspect of mine deployment, particularly with respect to transboundary ecological damage and long-term marine pollution. The article additionally discusses the role of 'soft' law instruments (i.e., the San Remo Manual and IMO Guidelines) in improving the environmental protection standard for naval warfare. This article connects international humanitarian law, maritime law, and environmental governance to contribute to ongoing discussions regarding environmental security, marine ecosystem protection, and regional cooperation in the Black Sea.

Keywords

Naval Mines , Black Sea , Marine Pollution , Transboundary Environmental Risk , UNCLOS , Bucharest Convention.

Karadeniz’de Deniz Mayın Harbinin Çevresel ve Sınır Aşan Etkileri: Hukuki ve Ekolojik Perspektifler

Öz

Devam eden Rusya-Ukrayna çatışması kapsamında Karadeniz’e konuşlandırılan deniz mayınları, önemli ölçüde sınır aşan ve çevresel riskler doğurmuş; aynı zamanda uluslararası hukuk bakımından çeşitli hukuki tartışmaları gündeme getirmiştir. Bu makale, disiplinlerarası bir yaklaşımla deniz mayın harbinin denizel çevre üzerindeki ekolojik etkilerini incelemekte ve konuya uygulanabilir hukuki çerçeveyi (1907 tarihli VIII No’lu Lahey Sözleşmesi, Birleşmiş Milletler Deniz Hukuku Sözleşmesi (BMDHS/UNCLOS), 1992 tarihli Bükreş Sözleşmesi) ile teamülî uluslararası insancıl hukuk kuralları ışığında değerlendirmektedir. Çalışmada özellikle hidrodinamik akıntılar veya aşırı hava koşulları nedeniyle sürüklenen ya da kontrolsüz hâle gelen mayınların çevresel etkilerine odaklanılmaktadır. Bu tür mayınlar; denizel biyolojik çeşitliliği, kıyı ekosistemlerini, ticari balıkçılığı ve bölgesel deniz ulaştırma güvenliğini tehdit etmektedir. Ayrıca makalede, 2022–2024 yılları arasında belgelendirilmiş mayın olayları incelenerek ayırım (distinction), orantılılık (proportionality), bildirim (notification) ve deniz kirliliğini önleme yükümlülüğü gibi temel ilkeler bakımından uyum değerlendirmesi yapılmaktadır. Çalışma, deniz mayınlarının konuşlandırılmasına ilişkin mevcut hukuki mekanizmaların, özellikle sınır aşan ekolojik zarar ve uzun vadeli deniz kirliliği bağlamında, çevresel boyutu yeterince ele almakta yetersiz kaldığını ortaya koymaktadır. Ayrıca makalede, “yumuşak hukuk” araçlarının (San Remo El Kitabı ve IMO Rehberleri gibi) deniz harp faaliyetlerinde çevresel koruma standartlarının geliştirilmesine katkısı tartışılmaktadır. Uluslararası insancıl hukuk, deniz hukuku ve çevresel yönetişim alanlarını bir araya getiren bu çalışma; Karadeniz bağlamında çevresel güvenlik, deniz ekosistemlerinin korunması ve bölgesel iş birliği konularına ilişkin güncel tartışmalara katkı sunmayı amaçlamaktadır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Deniz Mayınları , Karadeniz , Deniz Kirliliği , Sınır Aşan Çevresel Risk , BMDHS (UNCLOS) , Bükreş Sözleşmesi.

Kaynakça

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Ayrıntılar

Birincil Dil

İngilizce

Konular

Deniz ve Nehir Ağzı Ekolojisi , Çevresel Değerlendirme ve İzleme

Bölüm

Araştırma Makalesi

Yazarlar

Asm Mahmudul Hasan ^*
0000-0001-8833-5101
Türkiye

Yayımlanma Tarihi

30 Mart 2026

Gönderilme Tarihi

21 Şubat 2026

Kabul Tarihi

25 Mart 2026

Yayımlandığı Sayı

Yıl 1970 Cilt: 0 Sayı: 2026

DOI

https://doi.org/10.35229/jaes.1894561

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA26JW22FU

APA

Hasan, A. M. (2026). Environmental and Transboundary Impacts of Naval Mine Warfare in the Black Sea: Legal and Ecological Perspectives. Journal of Anatolian Environmental and Animal Sciences, 2026. https://doi.org/10.35229/jaes.1894561

JAES, 2016- 11.yıl

Environmental and Transboundary Impacts of Naval Mine Warfare in the Black Sea: Legal and Ecological Perspectives

Abstract

Keywords

Karadeniz’de Deniz Mayın Harbinin Çevresel ve Sınır Aşan Etkileri: Hukuki ve Ekolojik Perspektifler

Öz

Anahtar Kelimeler

Kaynakça

Ayrıntılar

Birincil Dil

Konular

Bölüm

Yazarlar

Yayımlanma Tarihi

Gönderilme Tarihi

Kabul Tarihi

Yayımlandığı Sayı

DOI

IZ

Kaynak Göster