Shippingtelegraph: Ukraine accuses Russia of drone attack against Turkish tanker

Ukraine’s navy accused Russia of attacking a Turkish civilian ship on Saturday that was travelling to Egypt carrying sunflower oil.

In a statement on Facebook, the navy said the vessel had 11 Turkish citizens on board. According to the report, the crew was not injured, and the vessel is continuing its route to the port of destination in Egypt.

The Naval Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine stated that Russia on December 13 conducted a targeted strike using a UAV against the Turkish vessel, which was heading to Egypt with a cargo of sunflower oil.

“The vessel was sailing via the grain corridor. There were 11 citizens of the Republic of Türkiye on board,” the statement said.

Russian forces struck the vessel in Ukraine’s exclusive economic zone, outside the range of Ukrainian air defense systems, the Ukrainian navy claims, accusing Russia of violating the international maritime law.

“Such actions directly contradict the fundamental principles of freedom of navigation and constitute a blatant violation of the San Remo Manual,” the Ukrainian navy noted.

The navy said it was in contact with the ship’s captain. The maritime search and rescue service is also on standby to provide assistance if necessary.

On Friday, a massive fire broke out aboard a Turkish-owned Panama-flagged passenger/ro-ro ship, following an attack on Ukraine’s Chornomorsk port.

Türkiye’s foreign ministry warned Friday that the damage to a ship owned by a Turkish company after an attack on Ukraine’s Chornomorsk port highlights the growing risks to maritime security in the Black Sea.

In a written statement, the ministry said a ship belonging to a Turkish company was damaged in an attack carried out earlier Friday on the Ukrainian port.

According to initial information, all crew members and truck drivers on board the vessel were safely evacuated and no Turkish citizens were harmed, the statement said. Türkiye’s Consulate-General in Odesa is closely monitoring developments and providing necessary assistance to citizens, it added.

Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy decried the attack, saying it was another sign Russians aren’t interested in peace.

Video footage of the attack’s aftermath, which was shared on Zelenskyy’s X account, showed the vessel engulfed in flames and thick fumes issuing from most of its windows.

The incident comes as Ukraine and Russia escalate attacks tied to maritime traffic in the Black Sea.