The Turkish Foreign Ministry has issued an official position following the attack on the Ukrainian port of Chernomorsk, in which a ship of a Turkish company flying a foreign flag was hit, BTA reported.
“On this occasion, we once again emphasize the need for an urgent end to the war between Russia and Ukraine and once again recall the need to introduce rules that would prevent the rise in tension in the Black Sea, ensure the security of shipping and prevent attacks aimed at energy and port infrastructure“, says the position published on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In the text of the document, the institution emphasizes that there were no injuries among the ship's crew and truck drivers on board, and the Consulate General of Turkey in Odessa is monitoring the developments and providing the necessary assistance.
The Foreign Ministry said the attack was a sign that Turkey's concerns about the war spilling over into the Black Sea, security and freedom of navigation were justified.
Russian attacks damaged a total of three Turkish-owned vessels in ports in the Odessa region of southern Ukraine, a Ukrainian naval spokesman told Reuters earlier today.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Kuleba said Russia had used drones and missiles to attack two Ukrainian ports in the Odessa region on Monday, damaging a Turkish-flagged civilian ship and wounding at least one person.
"The strike was aimed at civilian logistics and commercial shipping. "Russia is systematically attacking the port infrastructure that ensures the transportation of food and cargo to world markets," Kuleba said on Telegram.