Black Sea drone strikes: Bulgaria said on Wednesday that Russia was likely behind Black Sea drone strikes that hit four commercial ships over the past week and sank two vessels off Bulgaria's northern coast, but admitted it had no proof of Moscow's involvement. Rescue crews were still searching for 11 missing sailors.
Two Ships Sunk Off Bulgaria's Northern Coast
The latest strikes came at around 1:30 a.m. local time on Tuesday, October 13, when two ships were hit roughly 15 to 18 nautical miles off Bulgaria's northern Black Sea coast.
The Chelsea-3, a Ukrainian-owned cargo vessel registered in Odesa and sailing under the flag of Malta, was hit by three drones about 16 nautical miles east of Byala. All 15 crew members — seven Ukrainians and eight Azerbaijanis — were evacuated, five with minor injuries.
The second vessel, the HS Dignity, a Guinea-Bissau-flagged cargo ship sailing between Algeria and Romania, sank after being hit about 17 nautical miles east of Krapets, near the Romanian border. Four sailors — three Syrian nationals and one Egyptian — were rescued and brought to the port of Varna in good condition, district governor Mario Smarkov said.
Bulgaria Accuses Russia; Moscow Points to a "Third Party"
Prime Minister Rumen Radev told Parliament on Wednesday that the outcome of the attacks clearly favored Russia, while conceding the evidence was not conclusive:
"There is no logic in Ukraine attacking its own ships and crews, given that the outcome of all these attacks favors Russia — and indeed, the logic points in that direction. The problem is that we cannot prove it."
Radev called the attacks "absolutely unacceptable" and said Bulgaria had requested international assistance for the investigation, as well as NATO support to strengthen surveillance and response capabilities against drone attacks.
Radev summoned the Russian ambassador to Sofia, Eleonora Mitrofanova, on Tuesday. According to the Bulgarian government, she said she had no information from the Russian defense ministry about the attacks, but did not rule out that "these attacks represent a provocation by a third party."
NATO and EU Reactions, Ukraine Blames Moscow
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen strongly condemned the strikes, posting that "the Black Sea has become another front of escalation of the Russian war in Ukraine" and that "those responsible should be held accountable."
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said he had spoken with Radev and that the alliance would adjust its eastern-flank deterrence posture as needed. European Council President Antonio Costa expressed the EU's full solidarity with Bulgaria, calling the attacks "totally unacceptable."
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha directly blamed Russia, saying the strikes showed "deliberate disregard for civilian lives and maritime security" and urging stronger sanctions. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine's military had conducted no operations near the sites of last week's strikes.
A Week of Attacks on Black Sea Shipping
Exactly a week earlier, drones struck two other commercial vessels in Bulgaria's exclusive economic zone: a Togo-flagged ship sank while a Bulgarian ferry evacuated the 18-member crew of a Pulau-flagged vessel. A Turkish-owned cargo ship carrying corn also caught fire after a drone attack off the Romanian coast and sank, killing two people.
The repeated strikes have alarmed shippers in a key global trade corridor, with Bulgaria calling for stronger NATO and EU maritime patrols.
What Happens Next
With rescue teams still searching for 11 missing sailors and Bulgaria seeking international help to trace the drones' origin, the standoff is far from over.
Music in this post's reel: Kevin MacLeod - Hitman (incompetech.com), licensed under CC BY 3.0
Sources
- Associated Press (via Arab News): Bulgaria says Russia was likely behind Black Sea drone strikes
- Al Jazeera: Drone attack sinks ship off Bulgaria's Black Sea coast, PM says
- The Manila Times: Search and rescue operation after ship sunk off the Bulgarian coast (Bulgarian Defence Ministry / AFP footage)