Turkish-owned vessel hit in Russian strike on Ukraine’s southern coast

A bulk carrier owned by a Turkish company was struck during a Russian attack on Ukraine’s southern coast on Friday.

The vessel was hit while operating near Chornomorsk Port in Odesa Oblast, an area that has faced repeated attacks on maritime and port infrastructure in recent months.There has been no confirmation of injuries.

The ship, operated by Turkish firm Cenk Denizcilik on the Karasu–Odesa route across the Black Sea, was carrying “essential food supplies” when it was struck shortly after anchoring at the Ukrainian port, the company said. A fire broke out in the forward section of the vessel, prompting an emergency response involving the crew, the port fire brigade and assisting tugboats.

“At this stage, there are no reports of casualties or injuries among the crew,” the company said.

Initial reports indicate that crew members and truck drivers on board were safely evacuated. Türkiye’s Foreign Ministry later confirmed that no Turkish nationals were harmed, adding that the country’s Consulate General in Odesa is closely monitoring the situation and providing assistance as needed.

The attack came hours after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, during which Erdogan said a limited ceasefire covering energy facilities and ports could help reduce tensions in the Black Sea. Russia has previously rejected ceasefire proposals.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy blamed Russia for the strike, saying the civilian Turkish vessel “could not have any military meaning”. Moscow has not commented.

Türkiye expressed concern over the incident, warning that it highlights ongoing risks to maritime security and freedom of navigation in the Black Sea.

“This incident points to the validity of our previously recorded concerns regarding maritime security and freedom of navigation, as the war in our region continues to spread across the Black Sea,” the Foreign Ministry said.

The ministry called for an agreement to guarantee the security of shipping and to suspend attacks on energy and port infrastructure to prevent further escalation, reiterating the need to urgently end the war between Russia and Ukraine.

According to Ukrainian media, Russia launched a ballistic missile and drone attack on the Odesa region on Friday, triggering explosions in multiple locations and prompting air defence activity. Explosions were reported in Chornomorsk and surrounding districts of Odesa city after targets were detected approaching from the Black Sea, local outlet Dumskaya reported.

The incident comes amid heightened tensions in the Black Sea, after Moscow threatened to cut Ukraine “off from the sea” in response to Kyiv’s maritime drone attacks on Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet” of oil tankers, which Ukraine and Western officials say helps fund the war.

Since the collapse of the UN- and Türkiye-brokered Black Sea Grain Initiative in July 2023, Russia has stepped up strikes on port facilities and vessels it says support Ukraine’s logistics. Kyiv has continued to use an alternative humanitarian corridor, with several foreign-owned ships, including Turkish-, Greek- and Liberian-flagged vessels, affected.

Türkiye has sought to maintain relations with both Moscow and Kyiv since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. It also controls the Bosphorus Strait, a critical route for transporting Ukrainian grain and Russian oil to the Mediterranean.

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