Türkiye’s Foreign Ministry has expressed deep concern following reported drone attacks on two Turkish-owned civilian vessels in the Black Sea, warning that the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war is increasingly threatening civilian navigation and regional stability.

In a press release issued on Tuesday, the ministry said the Turkish-owned civilian vessels "Yaşar" and "Nadezhda" were reportedly targeted by unmanned aerial vehicles on the evening of August 3 after departing from the Russian port of Novorossiysk.

According to the ministry, several crew members were injured in the attacks, including Turkish citizens.

"The safety of our citizens is our utmost priority and their condition is being closely monitored," the ministry said, adding that Turkish authorities are closely following developments regarding the injured personnel.

The ministry voiced alarm over the growing impact of the Russia-Ukraine conflict on civilian maritime traffic in the Black Sea.

"We are deeply concerned that the war between Russia and Ukraine is spreading further into the Black Sea, also affecting civilian vessels, despite all our warnings," the statement said.

Ankara cautioned that unless urgent preventive measures are taken, the escalation in the Black Sea could have far-reaching consequences beyond the immediate conflict zone.

The ministry warned that continued attacks on civilian shipping could have "multifaceted negative repercussions," including risks to global and regional food security, given the Black Sea's strategic role in international grain exports and commercial maritime trade.

Reaffirming Türkiye’s longstanding call for restraint, the Foreign Ministry urged all relevant parties—particularly Russia and Ukraine—to take immediate and concrete steps to safeguard freedom of navigation and protect civilian vessels operating in the Black Sea.

"We therefore reiterate our call to all relevant actors, particularly the warring parties, to urgently implement concrete measures to ensure the safety of navigation in the Black Sea," the ministry said.

Türkiye has repeatedly emphasized the importance of maintaining the Black Sea as a secure maritime corridor and has consistently called for de-escalation to prevent the conflict from endangering civilian lives, international trade, and global food supplies. (ILKHA)