Russia Denounces Ship Attacks in Turkish Waters as "Terrorist Acts"
Sergey Vershinin, Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister, delivered sharp criticism of the incidents during a broadcast with media, characterizing the attacks as beyond acceptable boundaries.
"We assess them as terrorist attacks, which naturally deserve condemnation," Vershinin declared. He acknowledged uncertainty about broader diplomatic fallout, noting: "It's difficult for me to predict how this will affect the positions of other countries, particularly Türkiye, with which we have good and cordial relations."
The Russian official suggested Ankara's role as a diplomatic intermediary remains intact despite the violence. He referenced Türkiye's mediation value, pointing to three negotiation rounds conducted in Istanbul as evidence of Moscow's confidence in bilateral ties.
"Indeed, they have already expressed grave concern over what happened in their economic zone, and I believe these feelings of concern are entirely justified," Vershinin stated, adding: "Naturally, we support the search for a solution and oppose the delivery of weapons to the conflict zone, as this factor is destabilizing for us."
He argued that arming parties in the conflict undermines diplomatic progress toward resolving fundamental disputes.
Three separate attacks occurred between late November and early December, triggering the diplomatic response. The Russian cargo ship Midvolga 2 suffered light damage from a drone assault on December 2nd, struck 80 nautical miles off Turkey's shoreline. Days earlier, on November 28th, tankers Kairos and Virat were hit 28 and 38 nautical miles from the coast respectively, causing fires and structural damage.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan weighed in on December 1st, warning the strikes represent dangerous escalation that lacks justification.
Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for Russia's Foreign Ministry, went further by branding the incidents "terrorist acts" and pointing to Ukrainian intelligence services, which she claimed effectively accepted responsibility through publishing footage of the attacks.
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