The two ships hit on Tuesday were the Guinea-Bissau-flagged cargo vessel Dignity and the Chelsea-3, a Ukrainian-owned ship registered in Odesa and sailing under the Maltese flag.
Bulgaria on Wednesday said Russia was likely behind a series of drone attacks on four commercial ships in the Black Sea, which sank two vessels over the past week. However, it admitted it had no proof of Moscow’s involvement.
Rescue teams are still searching for 11 crew members missing after Tuesday’s strikes, while five sailors have been rescued.Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev told Parliament that the attacks appeared to benefit Russia, as one of the vessels was Ukrainian-owned. The strikes targeted ships in Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone and nearby waters, raising concerns about the safety of commercial shipping in the region.“There is no logic in Ukraine attacking its own ships and crews, given that the outcome of all these attacks favours Russia — and indeed, the logic points in that direction. The problem is that we cannot prove it,” Radev said.The two ships hit on Tuesday were the Guinea-Bissau-flagged cargo vessel Dignity and the Chelsea-3, a Ukrainian-owned ship registered in Odesa and sailing under the Maltese flag.The Dignity sank after being hit by a military strike. Four sailors, three Syrian nationals and one Egyptian, were rescued and brought to the port of Varna, district governor Mario Smarkov said.
All four were in relatively good condition and had no injuries. A fifth sailor was expected to arrive later on Wednesday.The search for 11 missing crew members from the two vessels is continuing. Five other crew members were rescued following the attacks.
Bulgaria seeks NATO support
Bulgaria has requested international assistance to investigate the attacks on commercial vessels. It has also sought Nato support to strengthen surveillance, monitoring and response capabilities against drone strikes.Radev said the country was suffering significant economic and financial damage from the incidents. Sofia is also seeking to coordinate with neighbouring Romania and Turkey on measures to protect shipping in the Black Sea.On Tuesday, Radev summoned the Russian ambassador to Sofia over the attacks. The ambassador said she had no information from Russia’s defence ministry about the incidents but did not rule out the possibility that “these attacks represent a provocation by a third party.”Bulgarian President Iliana Yotova called for an immediate halt to hostilities in the Black Sea and a moratorium on drone attacks against commercial and civilian infrastructure.“The unprecedented attacks demonstrate that the war has reached the Black Sea and that the conflict is intensifying,” Yotova said in a television interview on Tuesday.She said she had taken coordinated steps with her Romanian and Turkish counterparts in response to the growing risks in the region.“The aim is a moratorium on the use of drones over the Black Sea against commercial and civilian infrastructure and to halt hostilities over the sea,” Yotova said.
Ukraine blames Russia for attacks
Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha blamed Russia for the strikes in a post on X on Tuesday.“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,” Sybiha wrote.“The Black Sea is a lifeline for global food security. Russia is attacking it to weaponise hunger and hold the world hostage. This must be met with strength,” he added.Nato secretary general Mark Rutte said the alliance would continue working closely with its allies in the Black Sea. He said Nato had strengthened its posture along its eastern flank and would continue monitoring the security situation.European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also condemned the attacks, saying the Black Sea “has become another front of escalation” in Russia's war in Ukraine.European council president Antonio Costa expressed solidarity with Bulgaria and said the growing number of Russian hybrid activities would be discussed at the European Council meeting scheduled for Thursday and Friday in Brussels.
Series of attacks raises security concerns
Tuesday’s strikes came a week after drones attacked two other commercial vessels in Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone. A Togo-flagged ship sank, while a Bulgarian ferry evacuated the 18-member crew of a vessel sailing under the flag of Pulau.A day before the latest attacks, a Turkish-owned cargo ship carrying corn caught fire after a drone strike in the Black Sea off Romania and later sank. Romanian authorities said two people died and 11 crew members were rescued.In a separate incident, Radev confirmed an attack on Starlink satellite communication antennas near the Bulgarian capital, Sofia, on Tuesday. He declined to provide further details, citing an ongoing investigation.Opposition lawmakers said on social media that two masked men had deliberately set fire to 11 of the 17 antennas used to connect to SpaceX’s Starlink satellite system at a site in the Sofia area.“The investigation is being worked on with partner services and is extremely intensive, with a result expected soon,” Radev told Parliament, adding that any “premature disclosure could hinder the investigation.”