Türkiye concerned over Russian attack on Turkish vessel in port of Chornomorsk in Ukraine

Türkiye's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has expressed concern following a Russian attack on a vessel owned by a Turkish company that was damaged in the Ukrainian port of Chornomorsk.

Source: European Pravda, citing a statement published on the website of Türkiye's Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Details: It is noted that the attack on the port of Chornomorsk on 12 December, which resulted in damage to a foreign-flagged vessel belonging to a Turkish company, "validates our previously stated concerns regarding the spread of the ongoing war in the region to the Black Sea and its impact on maritime security and freedom of navigation."

Early reports indicated that no Turkish citizens were injured in the attack.

Türkiye's Consulate General in Odesa is closely monitoring developments and providing the necessary support to Turkish citizens, the Foreign Ministry said.

"We once again underline the importance of urgently ending the war between Russia and Ukraine and reiterate the necessity of an arrangement whereby the parties suspend attacks targeting the safety of navigation as well as each other's energy and port infrastructure in order to prevent escalation in the Black Sea," the Turkish ministry stated.

Operator Cenk Denizcilik reported that the vessel M/V CENK T, which sails between the Turkish port of Karasu and Odesa, had been damaged.

Background:

• At around 16:00, Ukraine's Air Force reported that a fast-moving Russian target was heading towards Chornomorsk.
• In recent days, representatives of the Ukrainian and Russian embassies were summoned to Türkiye's Ministry of Foreign Affairs which conveyed its concerns over a series of attacks on vessels belonging to Russia's shadow fleet in the Black Sea.
• Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan described these attacks as an "alarming escalation".

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