Schwarzes Meer: Sofia: Erneut Drohnenangriffe auf Schiffe im Schwarzen Meer

Two merchant ships were recently attacked by drones in the Black Sea near Bulgaria, according to government officials in Sofia. The incidents occurred within the country's exclusive economic zone and close to Bulgarian territory. Prime Minister Rumen Radev informed the news agency BTA that authorities initiated a search and rescue operation.

The attacks, which took place roughly 33 kilometers east of the coastal town of Bjala, were described as "absolutely unacceptable" by BTA. The Ukrainian ship "Chelsea 3" was hit by three drones, but 15 crew members were safely rescued. Five of them were treated for minor injuries. The second incident occurred about 31 kilometers off the town of Krapez, near the Romanian border, where one ship was hit and sunk, with one crew member being rescued.

Bulgarian Prime Minister Radev called for a meeting with Ukrainian Ambassador Eleonora Mitrofanowa to discuss the situation. Bulgaria is seeking technical assistance for investigations and is calling for a reinforcement of its air and sea monitoring. The Prime Minister is set to speak with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte about the new attacks.

While Bulgaria cannot yet determine the responsible party, Radev believes the attacks are beneficial to Russia's interests. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen condemned the attacks on X as another escalation in Russia's war against Ukraine, calling for accountability. The EU stands beside Bulgaria and thanks the local authorities for their swift response.

Earlier this week, drones attacked freight ships in the Black Sea off Bulgaria's coast, prompting Sofia to request EU and NATO technical assistance for investigations. Both ships were damaged, with one sinking. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky blamed Kiev for the earlier attacks, with Zelensky viewing them as "another expression of Russia's efforts to make the western part of the Black Sea completely useless for shipping."