Turkish authorities are investigating the crash of a drone in a rural area in the country’s northwest. The unmanned aerial vehicle is believed to be of Russian origin. The incident occurred near the city of Izmit, in the Kocaeli province, approximately 30 kilometers south of the Black Sea.
The Turkish Interior Ministry stated in a social media post that preliminary findings suggest the drone is a Russian-made Orlan-10 model. This type of drone is typically used for reconnaissance and surveillance purposes. Authorities are currently conducting a thorough investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the crash. Further details have not yet been released.
Local media reports indicate that the drone sustained damage as a result of the incident. This event follows a recent incident where Turkey shot down a drone deemed ‘out of control’ after it approached Turkish airspace from the Black Sea earlier this week.
The incident occurs amid heightened tensions in the Black Sea region. Last week, a Turkish vessel sustained damage in an alleged Russian airstrike near the Ukrainian port city of Odesa. The incident happened shortly after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of a summit in Turkmenistan.
President Erdogan has recently warned against the Black Sea becoming a ‘confrontation zone’ between Russia and Ukraine, following a series of attacks on vessels in recent weeks. The ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine has been a source of regional instability, despite mediation efforts by Turkey and other international actors. The investigation into the drone crash is ongoing.
