Bulgaria Attributes Recent Black Sea Drone Attacks to Russia Amid Ongoing Rescue Efforts

Sofia: On Wednesday, Bulgaria stated that Russia is likely responsible for drone attacks that struck four vessels in the Black Sea over the past week, resulting in two sinkings, though it could not definitively prove Moscow’s involvement.

Rescue teams continue to search for 11 missing crew members following Tuesday’s drone strikes that sank two ships within Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone and surrounding waters, while five others were rescued.

One vessel is flagged to Guinea‑Bissau, while the other, the Chelsea‑3, is owned by Ukraine, registered in Odesa, and flies the Maltese flag, an EU member state.

Prime Minister Rumen Radev told Parliament that it makes no sense for Ukraine to target its own ships and crews, as the attacks’ outcomes benefit Russia, though definitive proof of Russian responsibility remains elusive.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Radev summoned the Russian ambassador to Sofia, who said she has no information from the Russian defense ministry but did not exclude the possibility that the attacks could be a provocation by a third party.

The Guinean‑flagged cargo vessel Dignity sank on Tuesday after a military strike, and four sailors—three Syrians and one Egyptian—were rescued and brought to Varna port, according to district Governor Mario Smarkov.

He added that all four appeared fit and uninjured, and a fifth sailor is expected to arrive later on Wednesday.

Smarkov noted that the search for the 11 missing crew members remains ongoing.

Bulgaria has appealed for international assistance in investigating the attacks on commercial vessels and has requested NATO support to enhance surveillance, command systems, and response capabilities against drone threats.

President Iliana Yotova urged an immediate cessation of hostilities in the Black Sea and called for a moratorium on drone strikes against commercial and civilian infrastructure.

She said the unprecedented attacks show that the war has spread to the Black Sea and that the conflict is intensifying, during a television interview on Tuesday.

She explained that coordinated actions have been taken with her counterparts in Romania and Turkey in response to the growing risks and dangers in the Black Sea basin.

Her aim is a moratorium on drone use over the Black Sea targeting commercial and civilian infrastructure, as well as a cessation of hostilities at sea, she said.

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