Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry summoned Turkish Ambassador Yagmur Ahmet Guldere after a cargo ship belonging to the Russian Ministry of Defense was spotted passing through the Bosphorus in Istanbul carrying military equipment.
On Saturday, Yoruk İsik, an Istanbul-based geopolitical analyst posted on Twitter a video of Russian flagged roro Sparta II, a cargo ship sanctioned by the US, carrying military equipment from Tartus, Syria to Novorossiysk in Russia.
Naval News website claimed military cargo was S300 air defense systems. Sparta II started its voyage on August 20 and passed the Bosphorus overnight on August 24-25.
Shortly after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Turkey closed the Bosphorus to warships.
The Foreign Ministry of Ukraine requested the Turkish side to provide official information regarding the cargo, saying the specified vessel falls under the definition of a warship, as well as regarding the measures taken by Turkey to prevent warships passing through the waterway.
“The Deputy Minister expressed the hope that the Turkish side will strictly adhere to its decision of February 28, 2022 to close the Black Sea straits for Russian warships during the Russian-Ukrainian war in line with the consistent position of the Republic of Türkiye to support the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine in its internationally recognized borders,” the statement said.
Source:gerceknews
