'Absolutely unacceptable' — Commercial vessel hit by drones near Bulgaria's Black Sea coast, says Prime Minister Radev

Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev stated that a commercial vessel, the Maltese-flagged Chelsea 3, was struck by three drones near Bulgaria's Black Sea coast on October 13. All 15 crew members onboard were evacuated to the port of Varna, with five receiving medical assistance. Another vessel was also hit 17 nautical miles east of Krapets, a Bulgarian village, with one crew member rescued.

Prime Minister Radev described the attacks as "absolutely unacceptable" and demanded assistance from NATO and the European Union to strengthen surveillance and response capabilities. The Bulgarian authorities have not determined the responsible party, but Radev suggested the outcome benefits Russia. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen condemned the attacks, emphasizing the growing threat to security in the Black Sea.

Ukraine's Infrastructure Ministry accused Russia of repeatedly targeting Ukrainian ports, infrastructure, and civilian vessels in the region. The attacks have intensified since the summer, with Ukraine launching Operation Molochka to target Russia's shadow fleet. Turkey urged both sides to impose a moratorium on attacks, but Russia has shown no interest in de-escalating the situation.