EU chief condemns latest attacks on ships off Bulgaria

EU chief Ursula von der Leyen strongly condemned the recent attacks on merchant ships off Bulgaria's coast, describing them as "another front of escalation of the Russian war in Ukraine." She expressed her solidarity with Bulgaria and commended their swift response to the incidents. Von der Leyen emphasized that those responsible for the attacks should be held accountable.

Bulgaria's Prime Minister, Rumen Radev, confirmed that two vessels had been struck, including a Ukrainian-owned cargo ship, in an attack that occurred in the second such incident within a week. While there was still no conclusive evidence of the perpetrators, Radev indicated that he would summon Russia's ambassador, as it was evident that Moscow stood to benefit from the attacks.

Von der Leyen further stated that the Black Sea had become a new front of escalation in the Russian war in Ukraine, deeming this development unacceptable. She strongly condemned the drone attacks on merchant ships near Bulgaria's coast, highlighting the grave danger posed to the crew and the threat to security in the Black Sea.