Türkiye holds air force drills over international Black Sea waters

The Turkish Air Force has carried out training flights over international waters of the Black Sea.

Both combat aircraft and other types of planes were involved in the flights, Caliber.Az reports via the Turkish Ministry of National Defence.

Meanwhile, Turkish Defence Minister Yaşar Güler stated that amid the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine, Ankara is taking measures to protect maritime navigation, civil aviation, and infrastructure facilities in the Black Sea region.

He noted that the conflicting sides are actively using unmanned aerial and maritime vehicles, posing a serious threat to commercial ships and civilian airliners. 

The minister stressed that steps are being taken to counter the threat posed by underwater and surface unmanned systems that could go out of control.

Türkiye has condemned attacks on commercial shipping in the Black Sea’s international and Turkish exclusive economic zones, warning that strikes on tankers—including shadow fleet vessels like KAIROS and VIRAT—threaten navigational safety and risk escalation amid the Russia-Ukraine war.

Turkish leaders have publicly urged caution to both Russia and Ukraine to prevent the conflict from expanding into broader Black Sea confrontation, emphasising that the sea should not become an “area of confrontation” and calling for protective measures for maritime transit.

Unmanned aerial and surface threats have increased, with Romania neutralising an unmanned sea device in the Black Sea and Türkiye downing an uncontrolled aerial drone approaching its airspace—events illustrating heightened security challenges around civilian shipping and airspace.

Türkiye’s concern over spillover has deepened after Russian attacks damaged Turkish-linked vessels in Ukrainian ports, reinforcing Ankara’s stance that the war’s maritime spillover directly affects freedom of navigation and regional economic interests.

By Jeyhun Aghazada