On the morning of the 12th of October, drones struck two merchant vessels near the Bulgarian coast, prompting Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev to summon the Russian ambassador for an explanation, Politico reports.Radev wrote on X that the attack on merchant vessels in the immediate vicinity of Bulgarian territorial waters is absolutely unacceptable. He added that while Bulgaria lacks clear and conclusive evidence to pinpoint the culprit, logic suggests that only Russia stands to benefit from such actions.Around 1:30 in the morning three drones struck the Chelsea 3, a Ukrainian vessel sailing under the Maltese flag, near Bulgarian territorial waters. All 15 crew members—seven Ukrainians and eight Azerbaijanis—were safely brought to Varna, with five receiving medical attention. A second vessel sank, and one crew member was rescued from it.Sofia is currently seeking international support to investigate the drone attacks and to strengthen air and maritime surveillance. Radev, who formed a government friendly to Russia this year, announced that he would summon Moscow’s ambassador, Eleonora Mitrofanova, for an explanation and consult with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.Russian aggression in Ukraine is increasingly spilling over its borders. A week ago, drones struck two merchant vessels in the waters of Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone, causing one of them to sink.European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen condemned the latest attacks, calling them yet another escalation of Russian aggression, and added that those responsible must be punished. European Council President António Costa also linked the attack to Moscow and stated that the Council would discuss the situation at its meeting scheduled for this week.
Drones sink ship off Bulgarian coast; Russian ambassador summoned
