The commander of Ukraine's Unmanned Systems Forces, Robert Brovdi, has sent a mocking response to the brother of Turkish sailor Savas Cakar, who was killed in a Ukrainian drone strike on the cargo ship MV Reyhan Sari, according to Turkish news agency Ihlas Haber Ajansi.
Abbas Cakar, a journalist and the brother of the deceased sailor, said he wrote an article about his loss to help cope with his grief. A few days later, he found a comment structured as a letter sent directly from the official email address belonging to Brovdi, stating that his brother had gotten what he deserved.
Cakar voiced deep outrage over the message and called the behavior unacceptable. He stated that the Ukrainian military officer had completely justified an action that constitutes a war crime and a slaughter, adding that receiving the letter had doubled his existing anger over his brother's death.
Drone attack on commercial vessel
The strike occurred while the Turkish bulk carrier MV Reyhan Sari was transporting a cargo of coal across the Black Sea, traveling from the Russian port of Taman to Trabzon in Turkey. The vessel came under targeted attack by an unmanned aerial vehicle during its voyage.
Savas Cakar, who was working as a crew member in the ship's engine room, was killed during the strike. Three other crew members sustained injuries in the blast, and the cargo vessel suffered significant physical damage.
Black Sea maritime tension
The commercial route between Taman and Trabzon represents a key shipping lane for bulk dry goods across the Black Sea. Taman, located on the Taman Peninsula in southern Russia near the Kerch Strait, serves as an essential terminal for Russian coal and energy exports. Trabzon is a major port on Turkey's northern coastline, acting as a gateway for international cargo imports.
Ukraine created its Unmanned Systems Forces as a dedicated branch within its armed forces to coordinate autonomous drone operations on land and at sea. Robert Brovdi, who commands the drone unit, operates official military communications channels. The incident was reported by Ihlas Haber Ajansi, a nationwide Turkish news agency based in Istanbul.
