Bulgaria Points to Russia Following Devastating Black Sea Drone Strikes and Sinking Ships
Bulgaria suspects Russian involvement in Black Sea drone attacks that sank two ships. Rescue operations continue for 11 missing crew members.
POLICY WIRE — Sofia, Bulgaria — Bulgarian authorities indicated on Wednesday that Russia likely orchestrated a series of aggressive drone strikes targeting four commercial vessels in the Black Sea over the past week, resulting in the sinking of two ships.
Rescue teams are actively combing the waters for 11 missing crew members following Tuesday’s strikes, which hit vessels operating within Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone and neighboring waters. Five other sailors have successfully been rescued.
The targeted vessels include a ship registered in Guinea-Bissau and the Ukrainian-owned Chelsea-3, which is registered in Odesa and flies the flag of Malta, a member of the European Union.
Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev addressed Parliament regarding the attribution of the attacks, noting that Ukraine would gain nothing from striking its own fleets while pointing out that the outcomes consistently benefit Moscow. However, he admitted that definitive proof of Russian culpability remains elusive.
Radev summoned the Russian ambassador to Sofia on Tuesday. The envoy stated she lacked information from the Russian defense ministry but suggested the strikes could potentially be provocations staged by a third party.
The Guinea-Bissau-flagged cargo vessel Dignity succumbed to the military strike and sank on Tuesday. District Governor Mario Smarkov confirmed that four sailors—comprising three Syrian nationals and one Egyptian—were rescued and transported to the port of Varna.
Smarkov noted that the survivors appeared in relatively good condition without any injuries, while a fifth sailor is anticipated to arrive later on Wednesday as search efforts for the remaining 11 crew members press forward.
In response to the maritime crisis, Bulgaria has formally requested international assistance to investigate the assaults on commercial shipping, alongside enhanced NATO support to bolster surveillance, control systems, and defense countermeasures against aerial drones.
President Iliana Yotova issued a strong appeal for an immediate cessation of hostilities across the Black Sea, coupled with a strict moratorium targeting drone use against civilian and commercial infrastructure.
Describing the unprecedented incidents during a television interview on Tuesday, Yotova emphasized that the ongoing conflict has officially expanded into the Black Sea, marking a severe escalation in regional instability.
She added that Sofia has coordinated closely with diplomatic counterparts in Romania and Turkey to address mounting hazards within the Black Sea basin, reiterating the collective goal of establishing a complete ban on wartime drone operations over commercial trade routes.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
