Russia's fleet in the Black Sea and Turkey's role

In My Humble Opinion
1

When the Moskva was sunk almost a year ago, some news articles said Russia couldn’t replace the ship because it wouldn’t be allowed to send a replacement through the Turkish straits.

Does Turkey get to decide which ships can go through the straits? I’ve tried to read the Montreux convention but it’s unclear which rules apply in this case, if Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine counts as a war, etc.

And is it up to Turkey’s government to make a political decision to enforce (or not) the terms of the treaty? Could Erdoğan decide to allow any Russian ships into the Black Sea? Or could he use that possibility as a bargaining chip, the same way he’s been using migrants and Sweden’s accession to NATO?

2

Good question! I found this:

The Turkish straits (Turkish: Türk Boğazları) are two internationally significant waterways in northwestern Turkey. The straits create a series of international passages that connect the Aegean and Mediterranean seas to the Black Sea.

I think it would be illegal for them to restrict passage.

3

The modern treaty controlling access is the 1936 Montreux Convention Regarding the Regime of the Straits, which remains in force as of 2023. This Convention gives the Republic of Turkey control over warships entering the straits but guarantees the free passage of civilian vessels in peacetime.