Russia is probably behind the attack on ships in the Bulgarian exclusive economic zone, but at the moment there is no definitive evidence for this. This was stated by the former chairman of the National Security Agency and former Minister of Interior Tsvetlin Yovchev in the program “This Saturday“.
“The logic of the situation as a whole shows that the author of this attack is Russia“, said Yovchev. He specified that during the strike, parts of the drone may have fallen into the water, others may have been destroyed by the explosion, and others may have burned in the subsequent fire.
According to him, expert examinations can establish the presence of explosive or incendiary substances, as well as their composition and origin. However, Yovchev admitted that even after the inspections and investigation, direct evidence may not be found that would categorically point to Moscow.
Yovchev: Bulgaria should have reacted more categorically
The former interior minister said that the incident should not be viewed in isolation. According to him, it is part of a series of airspace violations, sabotage attempts, explosions, arson and cyberattacks.
“The first thing that should have been done was to summon the Russian ambassador for an explanation“, said Yovchev. He added that there should have also been consultations with NATO allies on the possible activation of Article 4 of the North Atlantic Treaty.
Yovchev described the economic threat as extremely serious. According to him, shipping insurance in the Black Sea has already increased in price by 10-15%, and over 40% of imports to Bulgaria pass through Black Sea ports.
According to him, this could lead to inflation of 4% and a drop of 0.5% in gross domestic product. If shipping is completely suspended, losses could reach 200 million in exports and 300 million in imports. Then the expected economic growth of 2.5-2.7% could drop to zero, and the country could fall into recession.
Shortage of radars and air defense systems
“At the moment, we do not have the necessary capabilities to defend ourselves“, said Yovchev. He pointed out that Bulgaria has ordered three radars with three-dimensional coverage, which are expected to arrive in 2029. The country currently has two radars, he added.
Bulgaria has also ordered one IRIS-T air defense system, and the government has announced four more. The first of the additionally ordered systems is expected in 2027, and the rest by 2032. Yovchev specified that their range is about 40 kilometers and five systems will not be enough to cover the entire territory of the country.
Criticism of the disclosure of Budanov's visit
The interview also discussed Kiril Budanov's secret visit to Bulgaria, including his meeting with Prime Minister Rumen Radev. Yovchev said he could not say what the purpose of the talks was and that there should be no speculation before the government provides more details.
However, he described the disclosure of the meeting as “absolutely ridiculous“. According to Yovchev, the military and foreign ministers were not informed, and the publication of a photo and the dissemination of the information through unregulated channels created a risk to Budanov's security and discredited the prime minister.
Sources: btvnovinite.bg