Ukraine denies claims of provocative message regarding Turkish sailor's death

A dispute has emerged regarding allegations of a controversial message sent by a Ukrainian military official following the death of a Turkish sailor. Savaş Çakar, a 54-year-old seafarer, was killed during a drone attack on the engine room of the vessel Mv Reyhan Sarı while it was departing from a Russian port on July 22. The attack is believed to have been carried out by Ukraine.

Abbas Çakar, the brother of the deceased, claimed that Robert Brovdi, the Commander of Ukraine’s Unmanned Systems Forces, sent a comment via an official email address. The alleged message stated, “Your brother chose this path consciously. What they did contributed to the enrichment of the Russian Federation and he got what he deserved.”

Ukraine’s Ambassador to Ankara, Nariman Celal, has categorically denied these claims, describing them as “clear disinformation and manipulation.” Celal stated that the information is not true and suggested the intent behind the rumors is to create anti-Ukrainian sentiment within Turkish society. He expressed condolences to the family, noting that the loss of a civilian life is a tragedy.