A merchant ship has sunk after being hit by drones off Bulgaria's Black Sea coast. Prime Minister Rumen Radev stated that one of the ships went down 17 nautical miles east of Krapets, with one crew member rescued. The other, a Ukrainian-owned vessel, was hit by three drones 18 nautical miles from the town of Byala, and all 15 crew were rescued.
The drone attacks occurred a week after two other commercial ships were hit by sea and aerial drones in Bulgaria's exclusive economic zone. One of the ships, the Alfa Watan, sank, and all 10 crew, including nine Syrians, are presumed dead. Prime Minister Radev convened an emergency meeting and summoned Russian envoy Eleonora Mitrofanova to discuss the incidents.
Prime Minister Radev indicated that although there was no conclusive evidence of blame, the attacks seemed to benefit the Russian Federation. He has asked Nato and the EU for technical assistance in investigating the 6 October attacks, as it is unclear whether Russia or Ukraine is behind them. Radev has rejected suggestions that he is "pro-Russian" despite coming to office during the summer.
Ukraine has directly blamed Russia for the latest attacks. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that the Black Sea is becoming "another front of escalation of the Russian war in Ukraine. This is unacceptable". Russia's military has not publicly commented on the issue but has recently intensified its strikes on vessels in the Black Sea.
Russia's military claims it is targeting ships delivering weapons and dual-use cargo to Ukrainian ports. However, Kyiv and its European allies say merchant vessels carrying grain and other civilian cargo are being attacked. The same day that two ships were targeted off Bulgaria, Ukraine hit an oil tanker in the Russian Black Sea port of Sochi.
Bulgarian Prime Minister Radev met with his security chiefs and stated that another attack on merchant ships near Bulgarian territorial waters is "absolutely unacceptable". He identified one of the hit vessels as the Maltese-flagged Chelsea 3, registered in Ukraine's Odesa, with five crew members being treated for minor injuries.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha condemned Russia's latest attack, saying it demonstrates Moscow's disregard for civilian lives and maritime security in the Black Sea. The Black Sea is a significant route for global food security, and Russia's actions have raised concerns. Turkey has called on both Russia and Ukraine to halt attacks in the Black Sea.
Key points
- Russia is suspected of carrying out drone attacks on merchant ships off Bulgaria's Black Sea coast.
- The attacks have raised concerns about maritime security and global food security.
- Ukraine has directly blamed Russia for the attacks, while Russia's military has not publicly commented.
