War in Ukraine: What was this naval drone loaded with explosives doing near Istanbul in Türkiye ?

A naval drone used by the Ukrainian army. (IILUSTRATIOON) Capture X @bayraktar_1love

A marine drone, suspected of having drifted “from the northern Black Sea”, has been discovered near the Turkish coast near Istanbul, Turkish authorities announced on Thursday.

Measuring three meters in length and one meter in width, the device, “believed to have come from the northern Black Sea, was secured by teams from the Turkish Navy”, the Istanbul prefecture said in a statement.

Similar to a jetski, discovered off the coast of Yalikoy, it contained explosives and could belong to the Ukrainian army, the private news channel NTV reported. Turkish authorities have not confirmed the presence of explosives or the origin of the device. The prosecutor's office has opened an investigation.

A yellow-green emblem is clearly visible on the front of the vehicle: it is believed to belong to the Ukrainian gas station chain Okko, very popular among the Ukrainian military because of its generous donations to the country's armed forces.

An alliance

Turkey, Bulgaria and Romania, three NATO members bordering the Black Sea, joined forces at the beginning of the year to protect international shipping and their coasts against floating mines that could drift from Russian shores or Ukrainians.

Since the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, several floating mines have been spotted off the Turkish coast.

In late December, a Panamanian-flagged cargo ship heading to a Ukrainian port to load grain struck a mine, injuring two sailors.