Ankara Voices 'Grave Concern' Over Black Sea Attacks in Türkiye's EEZ, Cites 'Serious Risk' to Navigation

Shadow Fleet Targeted

In a severe escalation of the war at sea, two commercial oil tankers, identified as the Gambia-flagged "KAIROS" and "VIRAT," were struck by explosions on November 28th. The twin blasts, reported to be the result of a Ukrainian naval drone attack, occurred uncomfortably close to the Turkish coastline, well within Türkiye’s internationally recognized Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

Both vessels are widely recognized as part of the so-called Russian "shadow fleet," a clandestine network of aging tankers used to move Russian oil across the globe, explicitly bypassing and evading the international sanctions imposed following Moscow's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. While crew members aboard both vessels were reported safe, the attack forcefully demonstrated Kyiv’s growing capability to project power deeper into the Black Sea, directly threatening the fragile, yet vital, shipping lanes bordering NATO territory.

Ankara Expresses 'Grave Concern' and Warns of Disaster

Türkiye’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs was quick to condemn the actions. Spokesperson Öncü Keçeli publicly voiced Ankara's profound worry, underscoring the attacks’ location and the potential fallout.

The official statement emphasized that the incidents “have posed serious risks to navigation, life, property, and environmental safety in the region.” This focus on the environment is critical: any major rupture of a shadow fleet tanker carrying crude oil so close to the Turkish Straits—one of the world's most critical maritime choke points—could lead to an ecological catastrophe with massive, long-term consequences for the entire Black Sea basin.

Crucially, the government stressed that it is actively engaged in dialogue with “the relevant parties” to prevent the war from spreading further across the Black Sea surface, and, just as importantly, to safeguard Türkiye’s own extensive economic interests in the region.

Escalation Threatens Economic Stability

The strike on the KAIROS and VIRAT highlights a dangerous new phase in the maritime conflict, one that increasingly encroaches upon the waters of littoral NATO states.

Türkiye, which maintains strong commercial ties with both Russia and Ukraine and successfully brokered the now-defunct grain deal, views any threat to commercial shipping as a direct challenge to regional stability and its own economic health. The Black Sea is an essential conduit for Turkish trade, energy shipments, and access to key markets.

The incident further complicates security efforts already underway. Türkiye, along with fellow NATO members Bulgaria and Romania, established the Mine Countermeasures Naval Group (MCM Black Sea) in 2024 to manage the serious threat posed by drifting sea mines—a by-product of the war. These new, targeted naval drone attacks add another, more deliberate layer of insecurity to an already precarious zone.