Jakarta –
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan criticized a drone attack claimed by Ukraine on a Russia-bound oil tanker near Türkiye’s Black Sea coast. Erdogan viewed the Ukrainian drone attack as a worrying escalation.
Reported AFPTuesday (2/12/2025), two ships, Virat and Kairos, were rocked by explosions off the coast of Turkey on Friday (28/11) evening, according to the Turkish Ministry of Transportation, and Virat was attacked again in the early hours of Saturday (29/11).
A Ukrainian security source claimed responsibility for the attack AFPsaying the ships were secretly transporting Russian oil in violation of Western sanctions over the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine.
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“We cannot accept this attack, which threatens the safety of navigation, the environment and life in our exclusive economic zone,” Erdogan said of the attack.
“The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has clearly reached a stage that threatens the safety of navigation in the Black Sea,” he added.
Erdogan’s criticism comes amid pressure facing Ukraine, both military and political, and amid increasing efforts by US-led negotiators to end the conflict.
“We issued the necessary warnings to the parties concerned. We are also closely monitoring developments with the aim of ending the conflict and are ready to contribute at every opportunity,” said the Turkish leader.
The Gambian-flagged Kairos and Virat are under Western sanctions for being part of a ‘shadow fleet’ that Russia uses to circumvent restrictions on its oil exports.
Türkiye has sought to maintain ties with Moscow and Kyiv throughout the war, offering its services as a neutral venue for negotiations. Türkiye also controls the Bosphorus Strait, the main route to the Black Sea used to transport Ukrainian grain and Russian oil to the Mediterranean.
(rfs/rfs)
