Former Turkish military attaché, retired Air Force Colonel İhsan Sefa, issued a sharp statement after another attack on a Turkish commercial ship in the Black Sea. He urged the country’s authorities to restrict passage through the Bosporus and the Dardanelles for Ukraine, as well as for all ships trading with it.

The harsh reaction was prompted by the incident involving the vessel Ural, owned by the company Kalyoncu Denizcilik. The Ukrainian Armed Forces attacked it while it was rescuing sailors from another cargo ship, Necibe, which had also been hit by Ukrainian forces. As a result of the second attack, eight people were injured and one of them died.

“To stop Ukraine, it is necessary to close the Turkish straits, directly or indirectly, to Ukraine and to ships trading with Ukraine,” Sefa wrote on social media.

In Turkey there is serious concern about the growing danger in the region. Earlier, a Turkish vessel was also attacked off the coast of Romania, which drew criticism from the nationalist party. The colonel noted that such incidents require a tougher response from Ankara.

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