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Russian energy ministry closely watching situation in Turkey — Novak

"Transneft has not received any requirements to make route adjustments. We keep monitoring the situation for any force majeure," Minister Aleksander Novak said

MOSCOW, July 16. /TASS/. Russia's Energy Ministry is closely watching the situation in Turkey for any force majeure after the country unblocked the Black Sea straits, Minister Aleksander Novak said on Saturday.

"The straits have already been opened," Novak said. "But Transneft has not received any requirements to make route adjustments. We keep monitoring the situation for any force majeure."

On Saturday morning, Turkey shut Istanbul’s Bosphorus Strait to transiting tankers for security reasons after a military coup attempt. Later Reuters said citing the GAC shipping agent that the Turkish authorities reopened the strait to transiting vessels.

"The traffic for transit vessels is back to normal ... along with non-dangerous cargo carriers," the Reuters news agency said quoting the shipping agent’s email.

The Bosphorus Strait is the key shipping channel for oil and grain tankers, including Russian ones which supply Turkey and other countries with Russian grain and oil.