In brief
A Ukrainian‑registered merchant ship was destroyed by drones off Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast, while another vessel sustained minor damage with all crew rescued. Prime Minister Rumen Radev condemned the attack, summoned the Russian ambassador, and called for NATO and EU assistance. The incident follows a string of maritime assaults that have drawn international condemnation, as Ukraine and the EU accuse Russia of targeting civilian shipping.
A merchant vessel registered in Ukraine sank after a drone strike 18 nautical miles from the Bulgarian town of Byala, while another ship, the Maltese‑flagged Chelsea 3, took a hit 17 nautical miles east of Krapets and was saved by local rescue teams.
Prime Minister Rumen Radev called the incident “absolutely unacceptable” and summoned the Russian ambassador Eleonora Mitrofanova for an urgent briefing. He also urged NATO and the EU to provide technical assistance to investigate the attacks, which threaten maritime security in the Black Sea.
The drone strikes come a week after the maritime attacks on the Alfa Watan, which sank with all 10 crew presumed dead, and the Royal Stone, a cargo ship hit off Bulgaria’s coast. Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha has blamed Russia for these actions, calling them a deliberate disregard for civilian life and a new front in the Russian‑Ukraine war.
Russian officials have denied responsibility, saying they target vessels carrying weapons to Ukraine, while Ukraine maintains that grain and other civilian cargo ships are also under threat. The incident adds to concerns over a widening naval conflict in a region vital for global food security.
