ANKARA, Dec. 15 (Xinhua) -- Türkiye said it shot down an unidentified unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) approaching its airspace over the Black Sea on Monday.
"An air trace approaching our national airspace over the Black Sea was detected during routine surveillance, and F-16s under NATO and national control were immediately scrambled to ensure airspace security," the Turkish Defense Ministry said in a statement, adding that the object was later identified as a UAV that had "lost control."
The ministry said the drone was closely monitored and downed away from populated areas to mitigate potential risks, without specifying its origin.
The incident comes amid heightened security concerns in the Black Sea, where Türkiye has repeatedly warned against escalation and threats to civilian navigation.
In recent months, Turkish-flagged and Turkish-operated commercial vessels have been targeted by missile and drone attacks linked to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, including strikes on ships anchored or operating near Ukrainian ports.
Ankara has condemned such attacks and called for the protection of maritime trade and freedom of navigation in the region. ■
