The Turkish government has expressed concerns over Ukrainian drone attacks on two Russian "shadow fleet” oil tankers in the Black Sea.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Öncü Keçeli said the attacks on the Kairos and Virat vessels happened inside Türkiye's exclusive economic zone and "have posed serious risks to navigation, life, property and environmental safety in the region.”
In a social media post late Saturday, Keçeli added that Türkiye is carrying out talks with "the relevant parties” to prevent the spread of the war in Ukraine across the Black Sea and to protect Türkiye’s economic interests.
Ukraine has said it used naval drones to hit the tankers in quick succession off Türkiye's Black Sea coast late Friday afternoon. Crew members on board both vessels were reported to be safe.
The OpenSanctions database, which tracks individuals and organizations involved in sanctions evasion, describes the vessels as part of a fleet used to evade sanctions imposed on Russia following its 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Ukraine has carried out successful naval strikes against Russian shipping during the war, particularly using explosives-packed marine drones. However, Ukrainian missions have previously largely been limited to the waters of the northern Black Sea.
Since the Russia-Ukraine conflict broke out, both sides have planted sea mines to protect their coastlines. Many have since been located and destroyed in the Black Sea, but others have drifted, notably due to storms, endangering shipping.
In response, NATO members Türkiye, Bulgaria and Romania, all of whom border the Black Sea, set up the Mine Countermeasures Naval Group (MCM Black Sea) in 2024 to oversee de-mining operations.
