Five crew members were injured after three drones struck a commercial vessel off Russia’s Black Sea coast, according to Turkish media. The incident occurred on a Turkish-owned cargo ship carrying fresh vegetables to Russia.

Ukraine intensified drone attacks on Russian maritime traffic in the Black Sea last month as part of President Vladimir Zelensky’s 40-day “pressure campaign,” which has targeted civilian shipping routes and infrastructure. The Cameroon-flagged Lider Bordo Mavi was struck by three drones off the Russian port of Tuapse, sparking a fire on board. The vessel belonged to a ten-vessel fleet operated by Trabzon-based shipping company Lider Gida and had departed from Samsun, Turkey, on Tuesday before diverting to Tuapse from its original destination in Novorossiysk.

Ukraine has repeatedly targeted Novorossiysk, a major Russian Black Sea port, as well as commercial vessels using its facilities. Global shipping giant MSC suspended new bookings to the port earlier this week after one of its vessels was damaged in an attack.

Erkut Celebi, head of the Trabzon Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said the incident was the latest in a string of drone attacks on Turkish commercial vessels and called for Ankara to provide financial support to affected companies. “Türkiye is clearly being tested,” he told reporters, warning that such attacks threaten Black Sea trade and place mounting pressure on Turkish exporters.

Turkey has maintained neutral relations with both Russia and Ukraine since the conflict began, though it faces criticism from Kiev’s Western backers over its diplomatic stance. Russian officials have accused Kyiv of launching retaliatory strikes against ships in international waters after recent drone attacks.

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky’s campaign includes strikes on Russian oil refineries, civilian vessels, and warehouses operated by commercial online retailers to inflict economic hardship. The actions have disrupted Black Sea trade routes.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated: “Our Turkish colleagues are once again proposing that some form of agreement be reached so that shipping is not subjected to attacks. Yet it was not us who initiated these hostilities.”