Turkey warns against further attacks by Russia, Ukraine on Black Sea vessels

Turkish Defence Minister Yasar Guler on Wednesday warned Russia and Ukraine against further attacks on commercial vessels in the Black Sea, saying Ankara reserved the right to take legal action against the strikes, in Turkey’s most direct intervention to date. NATO member Turkey, which has maintained good ties with both Moscow and Kyiv since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, has repeatedly called on both sides to halt attacks in the Black Sea that have also struck Turkish-flagged and Turkish-owned commercial vessels. Ankara says it is waiting for responses to a proposal it conveyed to Russia and Ukraine aimed at stopping the intensifying attacks and ensuring the safe shipment of grain from the region. Speaking in Sofia after a security meeting between defence ministers and military chiefs of Black Sea littoral states Turkey, Romania and Bulgaria, Guler said commercial vessels sailing and operating in the Black Sea had been affected by drone attacks, stray mines and missiles during the conflict. “We follow with concern the intense attacks on commercial vessels in the Black Sea and call on the sides to act with common sense, in line with the principle of navigational safety in open seas,” he said, adding that another commercial vessel had been struck by three drones inside Bulgaria’s maritime jurisdiction on Wednesday. It was not clear who carried out the attack on a Greek container ship that was sailing under the Liberian flag in Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone. “We also reserve every legal right regarding attacks on Turkish-flagged or Turkish-owned vessels and follow developments very closely… The necessary warnings are constantly being conveyed to both sides to keep commercial navigational out of the conflict zone and immediately halt attacks on civilian vessels,” Guler added. Ukraine has stepped up attacks on ships and infrastructure facilitating Russian oil and grain exports since July, ​when Russia intensified its missile and drone strikes on the main Ukrainian grain export hubs of Odesa, Chornomorsk and Pivdennyi. In a late September meeting, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan told Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskiy that attacks by Russia and Ukraine on commercial vessels in the Black Sea were inexplicable and steps must ​be taken to stop them. Guler also said Turkey, Romania and Bulgaria — which operate a de-mining operation in the Black Sea — agreed it was important to also focus on protecting critical subsea infrastructure.