Two cargo ships came under attack overnight on October 13 in the Black Sea off Bulgaria’s coast, the country’s prime minister, Rumen Radev, said.
Three drones struck the Ukrainian-owned vessel Chelsea 3, sailing under a Maltese flag, about 18 nautical miles (roughly 33 kilometers) east of the city of Byala. All 15 crew members — seven Ukrainian citizens and eight Azerbaijani citizens — were evacuated. According to preliminary reports, five sailors sustained minor injuries.
Another ship sank about 17 nautical miles east of the village of Krapets. One crew member from that ship was rescued.
“This is absolutely unacceptable: yet another attack in close proximity to Bulgaria’s territorial waters,” Radev said in a televised address. He added that he has a call scheduled with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
According to Radev, there is not yet “solid and unambiguous evidence to bring accusations,” but “logic suggests the outcome benefits the Russian Federation.” Bulgaria intends to summon Russian Ambassador Eleonora Mitrofanova over the incident.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said that “Russia’s latest attack on commercial vessels near Bulgaria’s territorial waters, which injured Ukrainian and Azerbaijani citizens, once again demonstrates Moscow’s deliberate disregard for civilian lives and maritime security in the Black Sea.” He called on partners to increase pressure on Russia.
A week earlier, drones attacked two other cargo ships off Bulgaria’s coast, about 110 kilometers (68 miles) from shore. The crew of one ship was evacuated, while the other sank. Reuters reported that this was the first known drone attack on civilian ships in Bulgarian waters since the start of the war in Ukraine.
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