Ankara confirms Turkish ship damaged in the Black Sea
The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that the incident occurred during Russia’s attack on Ukraine’s Chornomorsk port, and that a foreign-flagged vessel owned by a Turkish company sustained damage.
According to the ministry, the ship’s crew and truck drivers present on deck were evacuated, and none of the Turkish nationals were injured.
The statement stressed that the attack validates Ankara’s earlier concerns about the war spreading to the Black Sea and threatening maritime security and freedom of navigation.
Turkey once again emphasized the urgent need to end the Russia–Ukraine war and called on both sides to stop attacking each other’s energy infrastructure and ports in order to safeguard freedom of navigation and prevent further escalation in the Black Sea.
Reuters also reported, citing Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister, that Russia targeted two Ukrainian ports on Friday. The official claimed that Russia deliberately strikes civilian targets and that in this attack a Turkish-flagged vessel was damaged.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky likewise alleged that in Russia’s assault, a civilian ship was destroyed at the Chornomorsk port. According to him, Russia’s airstrike on a civilian vessel shows that Moscow does not take diplomatic efforts to end the war in Ukraine seriously.
