A Black Sea drone attack struck two Turkish-owned civilian vessels after they left Russia’s Novorossiysk port late Monday, injuring several crew members, Türkiye’s Foreign Ministry said Tuesday.
The ministry in Ankara identified the vessels as Yasar and Nadezhda. It said Turkish officials were closely monitoring the injured personnel but did not disclose their number or the severity of their wounds.
The attack occurred late on August 3, local time. Officials did not provide an exact time, preventing a precise conversion to Pakistan Standard Time, which is two hours ahead of Türkiye and Novorossiysk.
Yasar operates under the Panamanian flag, while Nadezhda sails under the Cameroonian flag. Both vessels are owned by Turkish companies, according to the ministry and maritime tracking information.
A drone attack struck a cargo ship near Russia's Novorossiysk port, seriously injuring three crew members https://t.co/oaTii4UksV pic.twitter.com/HD6Dy6lFxM
— Reuters (@Reuters) August 4, 2026Türkiye said the escalating Russia-Ukraine conflict was increasingly affecting civilian shipping in the Black Sea. It called on all parties to implement urgent measures to protect navigation and warned that continued attacks could disrupt food supplies.
The ministry did not identify who launched the drones. Russia and Ukraine have stepped up attacks involving cargo vessels in recent weeks.
A Turkish fishing vessel was attacked near Crimea in late June, killing one person and injuring four others, according to the supplied report. Türkiye also warned against an “uncontrolled escalation” after a separate drone attack injured crew members aboard a Turkish-owned cargo vessel in May.
