The Turkish Ministry of Defense announced today that an unidentified drone, approaching Turkish airspace from the Black Sea and deemed “out of control,” was shot down by F-16 fighter jets.
According to the ministry, the incident occurred in a secure area, away from populated zones, to avoid potential risks to civilians.
Turkish authorities have not provided details regarding the drone’s model, origin, or the exact location of the shootdown.
The event comes amid heightened tensions in the Black Sea during the escalation of fighting between Russia and Ukraine. Ankara has repeatedly criticized both sides for actions that endanger maritime security.
On December 16, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stated in Ankara that recent attacks seriously threaten navigation safety in the region.
“Attacks on commercial and civilian vessels serve no one,” Erdoğan said, adding that Turkey has issued clear warnings to both Russia and Ukraine, without directly mentioning the drone shootdown.
A few days ago, Ukraine accused Russia of striking the Turkish cargo ship Viva, which was transporting sunflower oil through the Black Sea corridor. The vessel was en route to Egypt, and none of the 11 Turkish crew members were injured.
Meanwhile, Russia frequently carries out massive drone and missile attacks on Ukrainian ports, also targeting civilian ships. At the end of November, Turkey criticized Ukraine after Ukrainian maritime drones attacked two Russian sanctioned tankers, part of the so-called “shadow fleet,” near Turkish waters – the Kairos and Virat.
As the only NATO member controlling the Bosporus and Dardanelles straits, Turkey has maintained direct contacts with both Kyiv and Moscow since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
