Drones Hit Two Turkish Cargo Ships Near Novorossiysk, Three Injured

Two Turkish-owned cargo ships were struck by drones in the Black Sea on August 3, 2026, after departing Novorossiysk in Russia. Three crew members were seriously injured.

The ships were the Nadezhda and the LDR Yasar. Both came under attack in open water after leaving the port.

Kalyoncu Ro-Ro Maritime Transportation, the Samsun-based company that operated both ships, suspended its Russia route after the attacks. The LDR Yasar was later reported at Samsun.

Turkey called on Russia and Ukraine to ensure safe navigation in the Black Sea for commercial shipping.

For the wider shipping context, our guides explain how conflicts change shipping routes, tracking vessel activity by region, and why ships may be absent from a tracking map.