A Russian-flagged cargo ship was attacked in the Black Sea, 80 miles off the Turkish coast, Turkey’s Directorate of Maritime Affairs reported today.
The ship “MildVolga 2”, sailing under the Russian flag, was attacked 80 nautical miles (about 180 kilometers) off the Turkish coast while sailing from Russia towards Georgia with a cargo of sunflower oil.
According to Turkish authorities, the ship’s 13 crew members are safe and the ship did not request assistance.
Even so, the cargo ship was heading to the Turkish port of Sinop “by its own means”, with no further details known.
The alleged attack on “MildVolga 2” followed two drone strikes claimed by Ukraine in Türkiye’s Exclusive Economic Zone.
The first was registered on Friday and the second on Saturday and targeted oil tankers belonging to the so-called Russian “ghost fleet”, which is subject to international sanctions but continues to export Russian oil.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday denounced a “worrying escalation”, saying that the conflict between Russia and Ukraine has reached a dimension that threatens the safety of navigation in the Black Sea.
Erdogan appealed to the “parties involved” adding that the Government of Türkiye is ready to contribute as negotiations between Kiev and Moscow continue around the plan proposed by the United States.