Drone strikes Turkish bulk carrier MV Güllük near Novorossiysk, no casualties reported
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Turkish-flagged bulk carrier MV Güllük was struck by a drone near the Russian port of Novorossiysk on Friday, with the projectile hitting the vessel’s living quarters. No casualties were reported, and the ship is to be taken to a shipyard for damage assessment and repairs. The vessel traffic operator Gemi Trafik accused Ukraine of carrying out the attack, a claim Kyiv did not immediately address.
The Attack
A drone struck the Turkish bulk carrier MV Güllük in the waters off the Russian port of Novorossiysk on Friday. The projectile hit the accommodation block, but the damage was limited to the living quarters, according to maritime news portal Haberdenızde.com. No fire or spill was immediately reported. The vessel, which was likely en route to or from the Black Sea, sustained non-critical structural damage.
Vessel Status
The MV Güllük is a Turkish-flagged general cargo ship built in 2002, with a deadweight tonnage of 8,150 metric tons, according to marine traffic databases. All crew members aboard were safe and uninjured. After the attack, the vessel was directed to a nearby shipyard for a thorough assessment of the damage and necessary repairs, Haberdenızde.com reported.
Blame Attribution
Gemi Trafik, the vessel traffic service operator for Turkish straits and ports, accused Ukraine of launching the drone strike in a post on the social media platform X. The operator offered no evidence to support its claim. Ukraine, which has been conducting maritime drone operations against Russian vessels in the Black Sea since 2022, did not immediately respond to the accusation. The incident adds to the tally of civilian ships affected by the ongoing conflict.
What's Next
The MV Güllük is expected to arrive at the shipyard within days, where inspectors will determine the full extent of the damage. It remains unclear whether the attack will prompt Turkey to issue a formal protest to Ukraine or increase naval escorts in the region.
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Drone strikes Turkish bulk carrier MV Güllük near Novorossiysk, no casualties reported
