Turkey urges Ukraine and Russia to ensure Black Sea shipping safety after attack on Turkish vessel

Turkey has called on Ukraine and Russia to take the necessary steps to ensure the safety of civilian shipping in the Black Sea following a drone attack on a Turkish cargo vessel near Russia’s port of Novorossiysk. Three crew members were seriously injured in the incident.

According to Turkish authorities, the cargo ship Nadezhda, which was sailing from Novorossiysk to the Turkish port of Samsun, was struck about 20 nautical miles off the Russian coast. The vessel had 22 crew members on board, including 13 Turkish nationals. All seafarers were evacuated to Russia after the attack, while a fire continued to burn in the ship’s bow for several hours.

Turkey’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Ankara was deeply concerned by attacks on civilian vessels in the Black Sea despite its repeated warnings. The ministry added that it was closely monitoring the condition of the injured Turkish citizens and remained in contact with the relevant authorities.

Turkey’s statement comes amid a sharp escalation in the Black Sea, where attacks on merchant vessels and port infrastructure have intensified in recent weeks. The growing security risks are already affecting maritime logistics and navigation in one of the world’s most important grain trade corridors.

Ankara called on both sides of the conflict to ensure safe navigation and prevent further attacks on civilian vessels, stressing that such incidents pose a serious threat to international maritime trade in the Black Sea.

Tags: war, Black Sea grain corridor, Ukraine, Russia, Turkey