Increasing the security level of Turkish ships near the ports of Ukraine and Russia

According to Fars News Agency’s International Service, the Turkish General Maritime Administration announced on Sunday that Turkish ships moving near the ports of Ukraine and Russia will use the maximum level of security at sea.

According to the website «HelloThe Turkish Maritime Administration announced that, taking into account the latest developments in the northern Black Sea, a special code for Turkish-flagged ships moored at or near the ports of the Azov Sea and Ukrainian and Russian ports on the Black Sea will be Security level three has been upgraded.

International level three security code for ships and port facilities is used when a security incident is likely or imminent. According to the agency, there are currently 271 Turkish sailors in the region on 22 Turkish-owned ships, seven of which sail under the Turkish flag.

Last Thursday, shortly after the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, a Turkish ship was bombed off the coast of Odessa without any casualties. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelinsky on Saturday thanked Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for his support of Ukraine. “I thank my friend President Erdogan and the Turkish people for their strong support,” he wrote in a Twitter message.

He added: “Today, the ban on Russian warships crossing the Black Sea and the significant humanitarian and military support to Ukraine are very important. “The Ukrainian people will never forget it.”

“Turkey has not yet decided to close the strait to Turkish ships,” Rajab Soylu, head of the Middle East I news bureau, tweeted, a senior Turkish government official told him.

Russia has said it has not received any messages from Turkish officials about the blockade of the Black Sea, Interfax news agency reported.

End of message / m