Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Euronews
Euronews
Cagla Uren

Turkish foreign ministry denounces attacks on two civilian cargo ships in Black Sea

Turkish officials on Tuesday said a drone attack on two civilian vessels in the Black Sea had left crew members injured.

The foreign ministry said the ships were attacked after leaving the Russian port of Novorossiysk late on Monday and several personnel were wounded, adding that "their situation is being closely monitored."

"We are deeply concerned about the escalating conflict between Russia and Ukraine in the Black Sea, which is affecting civilian shipping despite our numerous warnings," the ministry said.

It called on all parties to "urgently implement concrete measures to ensure the safety of navigation in the Black Sea" and warned that food supplies could be affected otherwise.

Smoke rises from the grain carrier Golden Leo under the Guinea-Bissau flag after Russian missile strike in the Black Sea close to Odesa, 19 July, 2026 (Michael Shtekel/Copyright 2026 The AP. All rights reserved.)

According to monitoring site MarineTraffic, the two ships, identified by the ministry as Yasar and Nadezhda, sail under the Panamanian and Cameroonian flags respectively but are owned by Turkish companies.

Russia and Ukraine have been stepping up strikes on cargo vessels for several weeks.

A Turkish fishing vessel was attacked in late June in the Black Sea near the coast of Crimea, leaving one dead and four injured.

At the end of May, Turkey had warned of an "uncontrolled escalation" in the Black Sea region after a drone attack on a Turkish cargo ship.

The Ukrainian navy claimed that a Russian drone had attacked the vessel.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.