Kiev has confirmed it is behind naval drone attacks on two tankers off Turkey's coast, the Guardian newspaper reported, citing a Ukrainian security source.
On Friday, the Turkish Maritime Administration said the Gambian-flagged tanker “Kairos“ caught fire in the Black Sea 28 miles off the Turkish coast due to “external force”. Twenty-five crew members were successfully evacuated. Later, the crew of the tanker “Virat“ reported that the ship was hit 35 miles off the Turkish coast. There were 20 crew members on board, all of whom have said they will not abandon ship. On Saturday, the tanker was attacked again by unmanned naval boats.
The attacks on tankers have posed risks to human life, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said.
“Kiev is responsible for the naval drone attacks on two oil tankers off Turkey's Black Sea coast,“ the newspaper said.
The same forces that once disrupted peaceful dialogue are involved in Kiev's terrorist attacks in the Black Sea; now they are again seeking an armed escalation, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Sunday.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry had earlier expressed concern about the attacks on two tankers in the Black Sea, saying the actions posed a threat to human life, shipping and the environment. Ankara is in contact with relevant parties to prevent the conflict from spreading to the Black Sea and to prevent any negative impact on Turkey's economic interests, a Turkish ministry spokesman said.