Turkey Warns of Escalating Russian and Ukrainian Attacks in the Black Sea
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Turkey's Foreign Minister, Hakan Fidan, warned that attacks by Russia and Ukraine in the Black Sea are intensifying ahead of winter, further jeopardizing the safety of shipping and grain transport in the region. Fidan noted that both countries are seeking to establish military superiority before the winter season sets in, and called on the international community not to allow the Black Sea to turn into a new front in the conflict.
Mediation and Turkish proposal
Turkey, a NATO member that has maintained ties with both Moscow and Kyiv since the 2022 Russian invasion, reiterated its call for both sides to halt attacks on commercial vessels, including Turkish-flagged, Turkish-owned, or Turkish-crewed ships that have been affected. Ankara reported that it had sent Russia and Ukraine a proposal to stop the attacks and ensure the safe transport of grain, and that it is still awaiting responses from both parties. According to Fidan, the attacks endanger lives, vessels, navigation, and the marine environment, and could cause food supply problems if grain cargoes fail to reach international markets.
Escalation of attacks since July
Since July, Ukraine has stepped up its attacks on vessels and infrastructure that sustain Russian oil and grain exports, while Russia has increased its missile and drone strikes against Ukraine's main grain export ports, Odesa, Chornomorsk, and Pivdennyi. In late September, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan told his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, that attacks on commercial vessels in the Black Sea are inexplicable and that steps must be taken to stop them. According to the outlet Trade news, the death toll linked to these attacks already exceeds 70, and among the recent incidents was a Ukrainian drone attack on the Aframax tanker Rio off Sochi, Russia, on October 6.
Safe passage corridors
According to the Turkish newspaper Milliyet, cited by Trade news, Turkey reportedly proposed two separate safe passage corridors in the Black Sea, running along the coasts of Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey, and Georgia. This proposal adds to Turkey's track record of mediation: together with the United Nations, Turkey helped broker the Black Sea Grain Initiative in July 2022 to allow safe exports of Ukrainian grain, an agreement Russia withdrew from the following year, citing obstacles to its own food and fertilizer exports.
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