Turkey demands protection of civilian shipping after drone attack on Turkish vessels in the Black Sea

Turkey’s Foreign Ministry called on Russia and Ukraine to urgently take concrete steps to reduce tensions in the Black Sea after two Turkish civilian vessels came under drone attack on the evening of August 3.

According to the Turkish foreign ministry, the vessels Yashar and Nadezhda were attacked by drones shortly after departing from the port of Novorossiysk. Several crew members were injured in the incident, including Turkish nationals.

“We are seriously concerned about the escalation of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine in the Black Sea, which is affecting civilian vessels despite all our warnings,” the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The ministry warned that further escalation could have serious consequences, including for food security. Ankara called on all parties concerned to ensure the safety of shipping in the Black Sea.

“We once again call on all interested parties, especially the warring sides, to urgently take concrete measures to ensure the safety of navigation in the Black Sea,” the statement said.

Earlier, the Turkish newspaper dikGazete described the attacks on civilian tankers as a blow to shipping and to relations between Moscow and Ankara. The authors of the article recalled the damage to vessels near the Turkish coast at the end of 2025, when Turkish authorities also spoke of a dangerous escalation in the Black Sea.