Turkish fighter jets have shot down an unmanned aerial vehicle approaching from the Black Sea after it was deemed to be “out of control,” the Ministry of National Defense said on Monday.

In a statement, the ministry said the device was detected and tracked during routine monitoring procedures and was identified as a drone that had lost control. To avoid any potential risk, Türkiye scrambled F-16 fighter jets and neutralized the drone in a safe area away from populated locations.

“Following identification, and in order to prevent any adverse consequences, the unmanned aerial vehicle was shot down in a secure zone outside residential areas,” the ministry said.

The incident comes amid heightened tensions in the Black Sea region linked to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan warned on Saturday against allowing the Black Sea to turn into an “area of confrontation” between Moscow and Kyiv, citing a series of recent attacks on vessels operating in the region.

Erdoğan’s warning followed several strikes in recent weeks, including an attack claimed by Ukraine on tankers linked to Russia off the Turkish coast. Ankara has expressed concern that such incidents could further destabilize maritime security and endanger commercial shipping.

On Friday, a Turkish-owned vessel was damaged in a Russian air strike near the Ukrainian port city of Odesa, just hours after Erdoğan held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The incident added to Ankara’s concerns about what the Turkish leader has described as a “worrying escalation” in the Black Sea.

Türkiye, which borders the Black Sea to the north across from Ukraine and the Russian-annexed Crimean Peninsula, has sought to maintain a delicate balance since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Ankara has preserved close political and economic ties with both Kyiv and Moscow, while also positioning itself as a mediator and advocating for stability and freedom of navigation in the strategically vital sea. (ILKHA)