Off The Coast Of Bulgaria, Drones Attacked Two Ships; One Of Them Sank
- 13.10.2026, 10:40
The Russian ambassador is being summoned "to the carpet."
Overnight, drones attacked two ships off the coast of Bulgaria, one of which sank; Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev said that the Russian ambassador would be summoned for talks in connection with the attacks, according to BGNES.
Two merchant ships were attacked in separate incidents in the Black Sea overnight, according to information presented at an emergency meeting of the Security Council.
The Maltese cargo ship CHELSEA 3 was attacked by three drones approximately 18 nautical miles east of the city of Byala. The drones struck the deck and the ship’s side. All 15 crew members were evacuated and taken to Varna. According to preliminary reports, five sailors received medical treatment for minor injuries.
The CHELSEA 3 flies the Maltese flag, is registered in Odessa, and, according to the information provided, is owned by Ukraine.
Another vessel sank approximately 17 nautical miles east of Krapets. At this time, one crew member is reported to have been rescued.
Prime Minister Rumen Radev announced that he will invite Russian Ambassador Eleonora Mitrofanova for a meeting and will hold talks with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
“Another attack on merchant ships in the immediate vicinity of Bulgarian territorial waters is absolutely unacceptable,” Radev stated.
The prime minister stated that Bulgaria will demand an explanation from Russian Ambassador Mitrofanova. He also clarified that, at this time, there is no conclusive evidence regarding the origin of the drones that would allow responsibility for the attacks to be attributed to a specific country. However, he said, “the logic of the situation suggests that the outcome of these attacks benefits the Russian Federation.”
Radev noted that Bulgaria’s permanent representatives to NATO and the European Union have been informed of these incidents.
As a reminder, on October 6, in Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone in the Black Sea, drones attacked two merchant ships — the ALFA WATAN, flying the flag of Togo, and the ABLE, flying the flag of Palau.