Türkiye expressed concern after a foreign-flagged vessel operated by a Turkish company was damaged in an attack on Ukraine’s Chornomorsk Port, saying the incident once again underscored earlier warnings over the spillover of the war into the Black Sea.
“This incident points to the validity of our previously recorded concerns regarding maritime security and freedom of navigation, as the war in our region continues to spread across the Black Sea,” the foreign ministry said in a statement on Friday.
The ministry noted that, according to initial information, crew members and truck drivers on board had been evacuated, no Turkish nationals were harmed, and the Consulate General in Odessa was closely monitoring the situation and providing necessary assistance to citizens.
“On this occasion, we once again emphasise the importance of bringing the war between Russia and Ukraine to an immediate end,” it said.
Maritime safety
The ministry also reiterated the need for a regulation to suspend attacks targeting navigation safety as well as the energy and port infrastructure of the parties to prevent further escalation in the Black Sea.
Russia launched a ballistic missile and drone attack against Ukraine’s Odessa region, triggering explosions in multiple locations and prompting air defence activity, according to Ukrainian media reports on Friday.
Explosions were heard in the port city of Chornomorsk and several districts of Odessa after targets were detected coming from the Black Sea, the local news service Dumskaya reported, citing correspondents on the ground.
‘Worrying escalation’
Russian President Vladimir Putin warned last week Moscow would intensify strikes on Ukrainian ports and may consider targeting vessels from countries supporting Ukraine if attacks on Russian tankers continue.
The warnings followed a surge of attacks on Russia-linked oil tankers, including strikes on at least four vessels in less than a week. Two empty tankers flying Gambian flags came under drone attack on November 28, with a Ukrainian security source telling international media that Ukrainian forces deployed naval drones against vessels allegedly transporting Russian oil in violation of Western sanctions.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called the escalating attacks a "worrying escalation" in comments on December 1, saying Ankara "cannot under any circumstances accept these attacks" and is issuing warnings to all parties involved.
Türkiye controls the Istanbul Strait, the critical passage connecting the Black Sea to the Mediterranean, making maritime security in the region vital for both Ukrainian grain exports and Russian oil shipments.
