Turkey Has Responded To A Russian Drone Strike On One Of Its Ships In The Black Sea

• 23.06.2026, 11:34

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a statement.

Turkey has called on all parties concerned to take steps to de-escalate the situation in the Black Sea region, where a Russian drone attacked the Panamanian-flagged Turkish dry cargo ship VICTRESS on June 22.

This is stated in a statement published on the website of the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized that such attacks threaten Turkish interests in the Black Sea and regional security. Ensuring the safe navigation of civilian vessels in the Black Sea remains one of Ankara’s top priorities.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry’s statement regarding the UAV attack on a Turkish vessel does not specify that it involved a Russian unmanned aerial vehicle. The Turkish Foreign Ministry chose not to emphasize this point.

It is currently known that on the night of June 22, Russian drones attacked two civilian ships in the Black Sea. One of them was the Turkish dry cargo ship VICTRESS, flying the Panamanian flag.

The Russian strike caused a fire on the ship. A 58-year-old cook, an Egyptian citizen, was killed. The ship sustained visible damage.

Eight crew members, including citizens of Turkey and India, used a liferaft to evacuate. All the rescued sailors are in Ukraine. Two Turkish citizens were injured. They have received the necessary medical care.