Türkiye's Foreign Ministry warned Friday that the damage to a Turkish-owned ship in a Russian missile attack on Ukraine’s Chornomorsk port highlights growing risks to maritime security in the Black Sea.
In a written statement, the ministry said a ship belonging to a Turkish company was damaged in an attack carried out earlier Friday on the Ukrainian port of Chornomorsk.
"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 ministry said.
The ministry said the incident highlights the risks posed by the continued expansion of the Russia-Ukraine war into the Black Sea, reiterating Türkiye’s previously recorded concerns over maritime safety and freedom of navigation.
According to initial information, all crew members and truck drivers on board the vessel were safely evacuated and no Turkish citizens were harmed, the statement said. Türkiye’s Consulate-General in Odesa is closely monitoring developments and providing necessary assistance to citizens, it added.
The Foreign Ministry also renewed its call for an urgent end to the war between Russia and Ukraine and stressed the need for measures to prevent further escalation in the Black Sea.
Ankara again urged the suspension of attacks targeting maritime navigation as well as energy and port infrastructure in the region, warning that continued strikes threaten regional stability and civilian safety.
