Türkiye shoots down uncontrolled drone over Black Sea
Türkiye has shot down an uncontrolled drone approaching its airspace over the Black Sea, the defence ministry said on Monday, amid rising regional tensions linked to the war in Ukraine.
According to the ministry, the drone was detected moving toward Turkish airspace, prompting Turkish and NATO F-16 fighter jets to be placed on alert to safeguard national security. Authorities later determined that the drone was out of control and neutralized it in a safe area over the Black Sea, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
The ministry did not disclose details about the drone’s origin or type.
The incident comes just days after Ankara warned of a possible escalation in the Black Sea, following Russian attacks on Ukrainian ports. Those strikes reportedly damaged three Turkish-owned cargo vessels, raising concerns about the safety of commercial shipping routes in the region.
Moscow’s recent actions followed threats to “cut Ukraine off from the sea” after Kyiv carried out attacks that damaged three so-called shadow fleet tankers allegedly bound for Russia to export oil via the Black Sea.
Türkiye, a NATO member with close economic and diplomatic ties to both Russia and Ukraine, has repeatedly stressed the importance of maintaining stability and freedom of navigation in the strategically vital Black Sea, which has become an increasingly volatile theatre since the start of the war.
Authorities said they remain on high alert and will continue to take all necessary measures to protect Turkish airspace and maritime security.
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