Turkiye summons Ukraine ambassador over Black Sea attacks

Ankara summoned Ukraine's ambassador on Saturday, following attacks on two Turkish vessels in the Black Sea over the past two days, the country's foreign ministry announced. The incidents occurred on Wednesday and Thursday, according to the ministry's statement to AFP.

The first vessel, a Turkish container ship named Lider Bordo Mavi, was hit off the Russian coast on Wednesday. The following day, on Thursday, a second ship, Lider Kocatepe, dispatched to tow the first vessel, was also targeted. The ministry did not disclose any casualties resulting from the attacks.

Throughout the week, Turkey has been urging Ukraine and Russia to cease attacks on civilian vessels in the Black Sea. Both nations, engaged in a conflict that Russia initiated in 2022 with its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, aim to undermine each other's export revenues.

Turkish commercial ships, sailing under various flags, have been targeted by drones suspected to be launched by Ukraine. Turkey, a NATO member nation maintaining relations with both Kyiv and Moscow, has refrained from joining Western sanctions imposed against Russia. Earlier, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan had called for a moratorium on Black Sea attacks on August 8.

The conflict has now spread across the entire Black Sea, with Turkish FM Fidan expressing outrage over the indiscriminate targeting of all commercial shipping.