The United Nations (UN) has issued an urgent call for de-escalation in the Black Sea following recent attacks on commercial shipping vessels.
Speaking on Monday, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric stressed that targeting civilian infrastructure is a violation of international law. “We reiterate that attacks against civilians, civilian infrastructure, including energy infrastructure, are prohibited under international law wherever they occur,” he stated.
The plea for restraint follows incidents last week in which two empty oil tankers, the KAIROS and the VIRAT, reported being struck by blasts and fires off Türkiye’s coast while en route to the Russian port of Novorossiysk.
Dujarric affirmed the UN’s continued support for an “immediate, full and unconditional ceasefire” as the pathway to achieving lasting peace. The diplomatic effort comes as Moscow formally accused Ukraine of launching the strikes against the commercial vessels. (Anadolu)