Türkiye says its fighter jets have downed "out-of-control" drone from Black Sea
Türkiye's Ministry of National Defence has said that its fighter jets shot down an "out-of-control" drone flying from the Black Sea.
Source: Turkish newspaper Daily Sabah, as reported by European Pravda
Details: The ministry said that the drone approaching Türkiye's airspace over the Black Sea "was detected and tracked as part of routine procedures".
Quote from the ministry: "Our F-16 fighter jets under NATO and national command were scrambled to ensure airspace security.
It was determined that the air track belonged to an unmanned aerial vehicle that had gone out of control; in order to avoid negative consequences, it was shot down in a safe area outside populated areas."
Details: Turkish media reported that the drone was shot down over land and that its identification will be determined only after wreckage is recovered.
The incident occurred amid intensified attacks between Russia and Ukraine in the Black Sea.
Background:
- On 28 November, two sanctioned tankers were reported to have caught fire in the Black Sea off the coast of Türkiye as a result of external strikes. Sources told Ukrainska Pravda that it was a special operation by the Security Service of Ukraine.
- On 2 December, it became known that another Russian tanker was attacked near Türkiye's shores.
- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has described the attacks as an "alarming escalation".
- On 4 December, the Turkish Foreign Ministry summoned representatives of the Ukrainian and Russian embassies to convey its concerns over a series of attacks on vessels belonging to Russia's shadow fleet in the Black Sea.
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