Russian Missile Mistakenly Strikes Turkish Vessel Near Ukraine’s Odesa Port

A Turkish-operated cargo vessel was hit by a Russian missile strike on Friday near the Ukrainian port of Odesa on the Black Sea, in an incident that has heightened concerns over maritime security and regional escalation.

Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister for Reconstruction, Oleksiy Kuleba, said in a post on Telegram that the ship was struck during a Russian attack targeting civilian port facilities in the Odesa region.

The Turkish shipping company Senk Shipping confirmed in a statement that its vessel, MV Senk T, came under an “air attack” shortly after docking at the port of Chornomorsk, located just south of Odesa.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said earlier on Friday that a civilian ship had been damaged while stationed at Chornomorsk port, without initially identifying its nationality.

Today, #Erdogan assured the dictator of #Russia, #Putin, that #Turkey would not allow #Ukraine to strike Russian oilers near its coasts again. Only hours later, instead of thanking him, the Russians mistakenly hit Cenk Roro, a Turkish cargo ship docked in the port of #Odesa,… pic.twitter.com/Z3VUUHJbIg

— Babak Taghvaee - The Crisis Watch (@BabakTaghvaee1) December 12, 2025

In a statement on social media, Zelensky said the incident once again demonstrated that Russia was not only failing to engage seriously with existing diplomatic opportunities, but was continuing a war aimed at destroying normal life in Ukraine.

There were no immediate reports of casualties, and the extent of the damage to the vessel has not been publicly detailed.

Turkey responded by renewing calls for a halt to attacks on ports and energy infrastructure, warning that continued strikes threaten stability in the Black Sea.

In a statement, Turkey’s Foreign Ministry stressed the need for an immediate ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine and reiterated the importance of reaching an agreement to avoid further escalation, particularly by ensuring the safety of maritime navigation and suspending attacks on ports and critical energy facilities.

Earlier on Friday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, during talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Turkmenistan, proposed a limited ceasefire that would specifically exclude ports and energy infrastructure from military operations.

According to Turkey’s presidency, Erdoğan suggested that such a step could help reduce tensions and prevent further destabilization, as Ankara continues to maintain communication channels with both Kyiv and Moscow.

The strike comes amid growing concern over a worsening security situation in the Black Sea, a key corridor for global trade and energy shipments. In recent weeks, Turkey has warned of what it described as a “worrying escalation,” following Ukrainian drone attacks on oil tankers linked to Russia.