Russian-made drone crashes in northwest Türkiye: ministry

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) believed to be of Russian origin has been found in the Cubuklubala neighbourhood of Izmit district in Türkiye’s northwestern Kocaeli province, according to the Turkish interior ministry.

In a statement on Friday, the ministry said the UAV is assessed to be an Orlan-10 model, typically used for reconnaissance and surveillance purposes.

An investigation into the incident is under way, it added.

Turkish media reported that the drone had been damaged in the crash.

The incident came after Türkiye shot down a drone on Monday that had "lost control" as it approached its airspace from the Black Sea.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has warned against the Black Sea becoming an "area of confrontation" between Russia and Ukraine, following several strikes in recent weeks on ships in the region.

A Turkish vessel was damaged last week in a Russian air strike near the Ukrainian port city of Odessa, just hours after Erdogan spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the margins of a summit in Turkmenistan.