Turkey’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that a group of crew members, including Turkish nationals, sustained injuries during attacks on its vessels.
In a statement, officials emphasized, “The safety of our citizens is our top priority, and we are closely monitoring their condition. We are deeply concerned that the war between Russia and Ukraine is spreading further into the Black Sea, impacting civilian ships despite our warnings.”
The ministry also warned that without preventive measures, escalation in the Black Sea could have “multifaceted” negative consequences, particularly for food security.
While the Ministry did not specify who is responsible for the attacks, earlier reports from Turkey’s maritime authority indicated that the vessel Nadezhda had 22 crew members aboard, including 13 Turkish citizens, according to Hurriyet Daily News.
The crew was evacuated to Novorossiysk by Russian Navy units, but reports suggest that three crew members may have sustained serious injuries.
