Russian forces launched a drone strike on a Turkish civilian vessel in the Black Sea on December 13, hitting a ship loaded with sunflower oil and bound for Egypt. Ukraine’s navy confirmed the attack on the vessel Viva, which was transiting through Ukraine’s exclusive economic zone when it was struck.

No injuries were reported among the 11 Turkish crew members aboard. The ship continued its journey.

What happened

The attack on the Viva did not occur in isolation. It coincided with a broader wave of Russian strikes targeting Ukrainian ports, particularly in the Odesa region, where at least three Turkish-owned vessels sustained damage. Geolocated footage from those port sites confirmed visible fires and structural damage to the affected ships.

Ukraine condemned the strike, framing it as evidence that Russia has no genuine interest in de-escalation and little regard for the safety of civilian maritime operations. Russia, for its part, has not publicly acknowledged or commented on the drone attack against the Viva.

The Black Sea’s growing risk profile

The Black Sea is one of the world’s critical corridors for grain and oil shipments, connecting major agricultural exporters like Ukraine to global markets. Ukraine is the world’s largest exporter of sunflower oil, and disruptions to its transport have ripple effects on food prices globally.

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022, the Black Sea has been transformed from a busy commercial thoroughfare into a contested military theater. The UN-brokered Black Sea Grain Initiative, which temporarily facilitated safe passage for grain exports, collapsed in mid-2023 when Russia withdrew. Since then, Ukraine has established its own maritime corridor.

For Turkey specifically, the situation is uniquely awkward. Ankara has tried to position itself as a mediator between Moscow and Kyiv, maintaining diplomatic relationships with both sides. It brokered the original grain deal. It has refused to join Western sanctions against Russia. And yet Turkish commercial vessels keep taking hits in a conflict Turkey is officially neutral in.

Turkey controls the Bosphorus Strait, the only passage between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean. Under the Montreux Convention, Turkey regulates the transit of military vessels through the strait, a power it has exercised during the current conflict by restricting warship passage.