Turkey urges Russia and Ukraine to stop attacks on commercial vessels in the Black Sea
According to the Turkish official, the situation in the Black Sea has gone beyond attacks on military targets and ports.
"The conflict has spread across the entire Black Sea. At first, they attacked ports and warships. Now they are attacking all commercial vessels indiscriminately," he said.
Fidan stressed that some of the vessels coming under attack are Turkish or operate under the Turkish flag. This is why Ankara is advocating an agreement between Moscow and Kyiv to halt attacks on commercial shipping.
Against this backdrop, Turkey has also begun restricting the passage of some commercial vessels through the Dardanelles. These include vessels heading to Novorossiysk and Ukrainian ports.
According to Bloomberg, the Turkish Coast Guard has told some operators that permits for voyages to Novorossiysk are currently not being issued or require additional time for review. Some vessels were also warned of possible delays while heading to Ukraine.
The Turkish authorities have not officially explained the reasons for the restrictions. At the same time, vessels heading to Bulgaria, Romania, Georgia, and Turkey continue to pass through the straits.
Ankara's decision comes after a series of attacks on vessels linked to Turkey. Earlier this week, the Turkish Foreign Ministry reported that citizens of the country had been injured in drone strikes on two Turkish vessels.
The ministry called for "urgent concrete steps to ensure the safety of shipping in the Black Sea." It also warned that further escalation would have "multifaceted negative consequences," including for food security.
Restrictions on traffic through the Turkish straits could further complicate international shipping. The Bosphorus and Dardanelles are a key route between the Black and Aegean seas: in 2025 alone, more than 40,000 vessels passed through the Bosphorus.
What preceded this?
As Rubryka reported, on the night of May 29, Russian forces deliberately struck a Turkish vessel traveling from one of the ports in Odesa region to Turkey. The attack caused a fire on board, and several people were injured.
On June 22, Ukrainian authorities reported that three civilian vessels had come under Russian attack in the Black Sea. A crew member — an Egyptian citizen — was killed on a Turkish bulk carrier, while the rest of the crew — Turkish and Indian nationals — were rescued by the Ukrainian Navy. The crews of the other two vessels were unharmed.
On June 23, Turkey expressed concern and called for de-escalation following a drone attack on a Turkish-owned vessel in the Black Sea. Ankara said ensuring the safety of civilian shipping in the Black Sea was among Turkey's top priorities.
- Last
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
- August, 08
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
News by day
9 of August 2026
