Two cargo ships attacked by drones off Bulgarian coast

Two cargo ships were struck by drones off the Bulgarian Black Sea coast early Tuesday, marking the second such incident in one week. The Maltese-flagged, Ukrainian-owned vessel 'Chelsea 3' was hit by three drones approximately 18 nautical miles from the coast around 1:30 a.m. While its crew of seven Ukrainians and eight Azerbaijanis was rescued with five sustaining minor injuries, a second ship sank in the same area. Sources offer conflicting accounts regarding the casualties, as Philenews reports one crew member of the sunken vessel was rescued, while the Cyprus Mail states eleven sailors remain missing from the sinking.

Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev described the attacks as unacceptable and stated that while the perpetrator is not confirmed, the outcome benefits the Russian Federation. Consequently, Bulgaria is summoning the Russian ambassador to address the security breach near its territorial waters. The incidents have drawn condemnation from both the European Union and Ukraine, with officials labeling the Black Sea a new front of escalation in the ongoing war. Prime Minister Radev has announced he intends to speak with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte regarding the security situation. Moscow has provided no official comment on the allegations.