In response, Russia retaliated in March 1807 by sending a small fleet of ten battleships and a frigate under the command of Russian Admiral Dmitry Senyavin to blockade the Dardanelles Strait at the Aegean Sea.

The citizens of Constantinople depended heavily on the supply of food and materials by sea, and the Russian naval blockade of the Dardanelles created severe hardships for the Turks.

On the morning of 19 May, Seyid Ali, the Kapudan Pasha or Grand Admiral of the Ottoman navy, took a squadron of 8 ships of the line, 6 frigates and 55 smaller vessels, slipped out of the Dardanelles strait on the morning of 19 May, moved to a position between Mavro Island the Asiatic coast, and prepared to attack the island of Tenedos, which served as the base for the Russian navy in the Aegean.

At Tenedos, Seyid Ali took advantage of the weakened defenses and began an attack of the Russian naval base by means of gunboats and land forces.

Before putting themselves in danger from Turkish shore batteries, the Russians battered the struggling battleships with their guns and caused all three to be run aground.

The Russians suffered 82 casualties but lost no ships and continued to block the Dardanelles for an additional month until they re-engaged the Turks at the Battle of Athos.