Turkey warns of ‘uncontrolled escalation’ after vessel attack in Black Sea

Istanbul: Hours after a Turkish-owned vessel was attacked in the Black Sea, Turkey on Friday warned all warring parties to refrain from steps that could lead to an ‘uncontrolled escalation’ of the conflict.

“A Turkish-owned, Vanuatu-flagged vessel transporting dry cargo from the Port of Odesa, Ukraine, to Turkey was attacked last night (28 May) by an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, resulting in minor injuries to two of our citizens in the crew,” stated the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The condition of Turkish citizens who are working on board the vessel is being closely monitored by the Turkish Consulate General in Odesa.

“Our concerns regarding the risks and threats posed to our region by the recent war-related escalation observed in the Black Sea, as well as our warnings about its potential negative repercussions for our country, are being conveyed at all levels to all relevant parties,” the ministry noted.

“We reiterate our warning to all parties to refrain from steps that could lead to an uncontrolled escalation of the conflict,” it highlighted.

It further noted that Tukey’s calls for ensuring the safety of navigation for civilian vessels in the Black Sea and for ending the war through negotiations remain valid.

“We also remind the relevant parties that we stand ready to develop regionally owned and result-oriented measures aimed at preventing further escalation and accelerating the peace process,” the ministry said.

Meanwhile, a Russian drone entered Romanian airspace and crashed into a residential apartment building, sparking a fire and injuring two people, Romania’s National Defence Ministry announced on Friday.

According to the ministry, the injured individuals were taken to the Galati County Emergency Clinical Hospital.

It said that during the night from Thursday to Friday, Russia resumed drone attacks against targets in Ukraine, in the vicinity of Romania’s river border.

IANS