Nadezhda vessel towed to Samsun after drone attack near Novorossiysk
The Turkish-owned and Cameroon-flagged Ro-Ro vessel Nadezhda was targeted by a drone attack on August 3, 2026, approximately 20 nautical miles off Novorossiysk Port in the Black Sea. The strike caused extensive damage to the ship's engine room and deck, rendering the vessel unable to navigate under its own power.
The crew, consisting of 22 members including 13 Turkish nationals, was safely evacuated by Russian naval units to Novorossiysk. Following medical treatment, nine of the Turkish crew members returned to Turkey via Antalya and Samsun. Other crew members, including Captain Yalçın Şahin, remained under medical care.
The damaged Nadezhda was towed by the vessel MIRA to Samsun Port, where technical inspections are underway to assess the damage. This incident follows a second drone strike on August 7 against the Turkish-flagged bulk carrier MV Güllük near Novorossiysk.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has called for a moratorium on attacks in the Black Sea, expressing concern that military conflicts are increasingly targeting civilian commercial shipping without distinction.
Entities: Hakan Fidan · MIRA · MV Güllük · MV Güllük · NADEZHDA · Nadezhda · Novorossiysk · Novorossiysk port · Samsun · Samsun Port · Turkey · Yalçın Şahin
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 5 SOURCES] Nine of the 13 Turkish crew members completed medical treatment and arrived in Turkey via Antalya. (Turkish media/news reports)
- [● 6 SOURCES] The Ro-Ro vessel Nadezhda was attacked by a drone near Novorossiysk Port on August 3, 2026. (Reports)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The MV Güllük, a Turkish-flagged bulk carrier, was hit by a drone near Novorossiysk on August 7. (N/A)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] No deaths or injuries were reported following the drone attack on the MV Güllük. (N/A)
- [● 10 SOURCES] A drone attack caused significant damage to the Nadezhda's engine room. (Turkish media/news reports)
- [● 9 SOURCES] The Nadezhda carried a total of 22 crew members, 13 of whom were Turkish citizens. (Turkish Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Russian and Ukrainian authorities have not issued official statements regarding the specific attack on the MV Güllük. (N/A)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The MV Güllük is heading to Istanbul for damage assessment and repairs. (N/A)
- [● 4 SOURCES] Crew members Yalçın Şahin, Emircan Kılıç, Mert Necip Kuzucular, and Furkan Hardal were among those receiving medical treatment. (Turkish media/news reports)
- [● 7 SOURCES] The vessel MIRA towed the Nadezhda to Samsun Port after it lost propulsion. (Turkish media/news reports)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The Turkish-flagged bulk carrier MV Güllük was struck by a drone near Novorossiysk on August 7. (Turkish media/news reports)
- [● 10 SOURCES] The drone attack on the Nadezhda occurred near Novorossiysk Port on August 3, 2026. (Turkish media/news reports)