Turkey Calls on Russia and Ukraine to Ensure Safe Navigation
Ukrainian drones attacked Turkish merchant ships in the Black Sea, injuring three crew members. Ankara is 'deeply concerned' and seeks measures to protect civilian maritime traffic.
Ukrainian drones attacked Turkish merchant ships in the Black Sea, injuring three crew members. Ankara is 'deeply concerned' and seeks measures to protect civilian maritime traffic.
On Tuesday, August 4, 2026, Turkey issued an urgent appeal to Russia and Ukraine to take measures to ensure the safety of navigation in the Black Sea. The call came after Ukrainian drones attacked Turkish merchant ships that had departed from the Russian port of Novorossiysk the previous day, August 3, injuring three Turkish crew members.
According to a Reuters report, the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that it is "deeply concerned" about the targeting of civilian vessels and called on both sides to avoid actions that endanger maritime traffic in the Black Sea. Russian forces, according to available information, successfully evacuated the injured crew members to shore.
Sources differ on the exact number of ships attacked. The Telegram channel Abu Ali Express reports that two Turkish merchant ships were attacked, while MilInfoLive, citing the Turkish newspaper İHA, reports an attack on one ship, the ro-ro vessel Nadezhda (NADEZHDA). According to this version, the ship, which was carrying fruits and vegetables to Russia, was attacked with six to seven drones at a distance of 30 nautical miles from Novorossiysk.
MilInfoLive also suggests that Ukrainian forces, when selecting the target, used only the ship's name from a maritime traffic monitoring service, without verifying other characteristics such as vessel type, owner, flag, or registration number. As an argument, they note that there is also a Russian cargo ship with the same name that also sails from Novorossiysk.
The attack on Turkish merchant ships represents a significant escalation in the Black Sea region, where commercial vessels are increasingly exposed to risks associated with the war in Ukraine. Turkey, as a NATO member that maintains diplomatic relations with both Kyiv and Moscow, finds itself in a position where it must protect its own commercial interests and the safety of its citizens.
The incident occurred near the key Russian Black Sea port of Novorossiysk, an important hub for the export of oil and other goods. The injury of civilian sailors further underscores the humanitarian dimension of the dangers threatening non-military shipping in the conflict zone.
