Ukraine Accuses Russia of Attack on Turkish Cargo Ship in Black Sea Amid Rising Tensions

On Saturday, Ukraine accused Russia of attacking a Turkish vessel that was transporting sunflower oil in the Black Sea. This incident followed a Russian assault the previous day that ignited a fire on a Turkish-owned ship docked at a Ukrainian port.

According to Ukraine’s navy, «Russia launched a deliberate drone strike against the Turkish vessel ‘VIVA’, which was traveling to Egypt with a cargo of sunflower oil.» Fortunately, none of the eleven crew members were injured, and the ship managed to continue its voyage.

The navy also shared footage of the damaged ship, which showed water on the deck along with what seemed to be a drone engine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the strike, promising a «response.» He characterized the attack as an assault on food security, emphasizing that «attacking vessels unrelated to the conflict is a direct provocation from Russia to the global community.»

«We will collaborate with our allies to determine the appropriate response. There will be consequences,» he added.

The incident occurred within Ukraine’s exclusive economic zone, utilizing a grain corridor that closely follows the coastline of Ukraine and is meant to ensure safe passage for crucial agricultural exports across the Black Sea.

This marked the second attack on a Turkish ship within two days and followed Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s appeal for a cessation of attacks on ports and energy installations during his discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday.