Bulgaria summons Russian envoy after commercial vessel sinks in Black Sea drone strike

Bulgaria's prime minister has summoned Russia's ambassador after drone strikes targeted two commercial vessels off the country's Black Sea coast, causing one of the ships to sink.

Prime Minister Rumen Radev said the sunken ship went down roughly 17 nautical miles east of Krapets, with a single crew member rescued so far. The second vessel, identified as the Maltese-flagged Chelsea 3, was struck by three drones around 18 nautical miles from Byala. All 15 people aboard that ship were saved, though five crew members sustained minor injuries. The Chelsea 3 is registered in Odesa, Ukraine, while further details regarding the sunken vessel were not immediately released.

Addressing security officials following an emergency meeting on Tuesday, Radev described the strikes near Bulgarian territorial waters as completely unacceptable. While acknowledging that direct proof attributing the incident to either combatant was lacking, Radev stated that the strategic outcome pointed toward Russian interests. Consequently, the Bulgarian government summoned Russian Ambassador Eleonora Mitrofanova.

Bulgaria is a member of NATO, and Radev indicated he planned to discuss the situation directly with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. Sofia had previously sought technical help from both the military alliance and the European Union to investigate prior drone strikes on October 6, when two other ships were hit in Bulgaria's exclusive economic zone, leading to the loss of the vessel Alfa Watan and its 10-person crew.

Ukrainian officials openly held Moscow responsible for the latest incidents. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha accused Russia of deliberately threatening maritime safety and civilian transit along vital global food supply routes. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also condemned the development, warning that the Black Sea risked turning into an expanded front in the broader war.

The Russian defence establishment has not publicly addressed the latest strikes. Moscow maintains that its military actions target vessels transporting armaments and dual-use goods bound for Ukrainian facilities, citing recent operations near Mykolaiv and Chornomorsk. In contrast, Ukrainian authorities and European partners assert that commercial traffic transporting grain and ordinary civilian freight is being unlawfully targeted. Both Ukraine and Russia remain crucial agricultural exporters, prompting regional neighbours like Turkey to advocate for an immediate cessation of naval hostilities.