Turkiye summons Ukraine ambassador over Black Sea attacks
Al Jazeera · 2026-08-29
Turkiye has summoned Ukraine's ambassador after two Turkish-operated vessels were struck in the Black Sea this week, warning about the "absolute need to ensure the safety of people, of assets, of navigation and of the environment." The Turkish-operated container ship Lider Bordo Mavi was hit off Russia's coast on Wednesday, followed by a drone attack on the Lider Kocatepe the next day while it was en route to assist the first vessel. Turkiye, which maintains relations with both Russia and Ukraine and serves as a mediator, has consistently called for a halt to attacks on civilian ships in the Black Sea, an area of heightened risk since Russia's 2022 invasion. Earlier this month, three crew members were seriously injured when the Nadezhda cargo ship was struck by a drone near Novorossiysk.