A large fire broke out on a Turkish car ferry anchored at the Ukrainian port city of Odesa after it was hit in a strike on Friday. The company that operates the Cenk T confirmed the attack occurred at 16:00 local time (14:00 GMT) shortly after it docked at the Chornomorsk port.
Ukraine's President Volodymr Zelensky has blamed the strike on Russia, which has not commented. The attack came hours after Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan indicated to Russian President Vladimir Putin that a limited ceasefire for energy facilities and ports could be beneficial, a proposal that Russia has consistently resisted.
Moscow has threatened to sever Ukraine's access to the sea in retaliation for Kyiv's maritime drone attacks on Russian tankers believed to be essential for financing the ongoing war. The Cenk Denizcilik, the company that owns the cargo ship, stated that it was transporting essential food supplies when it was hit.
Emergency protocols were quickly activated, and while the forward section of the ship was ablaze, the crew's safety was ensured with no reported casualties. Video footage shared on Zelensky's Telegram account showed efforts to extinguish the flames.
As the Ukrainian leader condemned the missile attacks on the Odesa region the previous night, he asserted that the targeting of the civilian Turkish ship was indicative of Russia's strategy, stressing that such attacks have no military justification.
In a response from Turkey's foreign ministry, the need for an agreement to guarantee shipping security and halt attacks against port infrastructure was emphasized, highlighting the urgency to brokers a resolution to the conflict.
Turkey has been attempting to mediate relations between Russia and Ukraine since the conflict escalated in 2022, notably controlling the Bosphorus Strait vital for exporting Ukrainian grain and Russian oil. The strikes on Odesa have also led to infrastructure damage, with local reports indicating the port was impacted, resulting in power outages across the city. This highlights the escalating tensions and the ongoing humanitarian impact of the conflict.
Ukraine's President Volodymr Zelensky has blamed the strike on Russia, which has not commented. The attack came hours after Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan indicated to Russian President Vladimir Putin that a limited ceasefire for energy facilities and ports could be beneficial, a proposal that Russia has consistently resisted.
Moscow has threatened to sever Ukraine's access to the sea in retaliation for Kyiv's maritime drone attacks on Russian tankers believed to be essential for financing the ongoing war. The Cenk Denizcilik, the company that owns the cargo ship, stated that it was transporting essential food supplies when it was hit.
Emergency protocols were quickly activated, and while the forward section of the ship was ablaze, the crew's safety was ensured with no reported casualties. Video footage shared on Zelensky's Telegram account showed efforts to extinguish the flames.
As the Ukrainian leader condemned the missile attacks on the Odesa region the previous night, he asserted that the targeting of the civilian Turkish ship was indicative of Russia's strategy, stressing that such attacks have no military justification.
In a response from Turkey's foreign ministry, the need for an agreement to guarantee shipping security and halt attacks against port infrastructure was emphasized, highlighting the urgency to brokers a resolution to the conflict.
Turkey has been attempting to mediate relations between Russia and Ukraine since the conflict escalated in 2022, notably controlling the Bosphorus Strait vital for exporting Ukrainian grain and Russian oil. The strikes on Odesa have also led to infrastructure damage, with local reports indicating the port was impacted, resulting in power outages across the city. This highlights the escalating tensions and the ongoing humanitarian impact of the conflict.
