Turkey Denounces Black Sea Drone Attacks on Two Ships, Citing Crew Injuries

Turkey's Foreign Ministry on Tuesday condemned drone attacks that injured crew members aboard two civilian vessels in the Black Sea. The ministry stated the ships were attacked after departing Russia's Novorossiysk port late Monday.

"We are deeply concerned about the escalating conflict between Russia and Ukraine in the Black Sea, which is affecting civilian shipping despite our numerous warnings," the ministry said. It urged all parties to "urgently implement concrete measures to ensure the safety of navigation in the Black Sea." The ministry warned that food supplies could be affected if navigation safety is not ensured.

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We are deeply concerned about the escalating conflict between Russia and Ukraine in the Black Sea, which is affecting civilian shipping despite our numerous warnings.

The two vessels, identified as Yasar and Nadezhda, sail under Panamanian and Cameroonian flags, respectively, but are owned by Turkish companies, according to the MarineTraffic monitoring site. This incident follows a pattern of increased strikes on cargo vessels by both Russia and Ukraine in recent weeks. A Turkish fishing vessel was attacked in late June near Crimea, resulting in one death and four injuries. In May, Turkey had already warned of an "uncontrolled escalation" in the Black Sea after a Turkish cargo ship was targeted by a drone.

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urgently implement concrete measures to ensure the safety of navigation in the Black Sea