ISTANBUL (AP) — The Turkish government has condemned Ukrainian drone attacks on two Russian “shadow fleet” oil tankers in the Black Sea.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Oncu Keceli said the attacks on the Kairos and Virat vessels happened inside Turkey’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, Keceli added that Turkey is carrying out talks with “the relevant parties” to prevent the spread of the war in Ukraine across the Black Sea and to protect Turkey’s economic interests.
Ukraine has said it used naval drones to hit the tankers in quick succession off Turkey’s Black Sea coast late Friday afternoon. Crew members on board both vessels were reported to be safe.
The OpenSanctions database, which tracks people or organizations involved in sanctions evasion, describes the vessels as part of a fleet of ships 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.
The Associated Press
