Russian drone attacks turn Black Sea into a danger zone for civilian shipping

Russia has struck at least 12 commercial ships with drones in the Black Sea in recent weeks, CNN reported, citing maritime tracking services and the governments of Romania and Bulgaria. At least 30 sailors were killed or went missing in the attacks, one of which targeted the Turkish-owned Alfa Watan.

Russian air and naval drones have struck at least 12 commercial ships in the Black Sea in recent weeks. CNN, citing maritime tracking services and the governments of Romania and Bulgaria, reported that at least 30 sailors were killed or went missing in the attacks.

The wave of attacks began in early October, when air and naval drones struck the Turkish-owned Alfa Watan as it traveled from Egypt to Romania's port of Sulina. Nine Syrian crew members and one Egyptian crew member were killed when the ship sank. Six days later, 11 crew members, most of them Syrian, were killed when the HS Dignity was struck off the Bulgarian coast.

Some of the attacks took place in or near the territorial waters of NATO members Romania and Bulgaria. Romanian Foreign Minister Oana-Silvia Toiu said on Oct. 15 that four commercial ships had been targeted and eight people had been killed. Last week, the Contship Jet container ship sank after three drones struck it 25 kilometers from the Bulgarian coast.

Sulina'da Tuna Nehri üzerinde bir gemi (arşiv)

Russia appears to be seeking to choke off trade through the ports that handle nearly all of Ukraine's grain exports. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said the attacks had turned the Black Sea into a danger zone for civilian shipping. Ukraine exported 1.09 million tons of wheat in September, roughly half of the 2.05 million tons exported a year earlier.

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