Drone attacks on two merchant ships in the Black Sea near Bulgarian territorial waters have sparked international reaction and become a leading topic in the Western and Middle Eastern press. One ship has sunk and 11 sailors are missing, reports the Bulgarian Telegraph Agency.
Bulgarian authorities do not have definitive evidence of who is behind the attacks. However, Prime Minister Rumen Radev described the attacks as an “unacceptable“ escalation of the war with Russia. He stated to the British newspaper “Independent“ that logic shows that the Russian Federation benefits from the results of the attacks.
Bulgaria seeks international support
According to the “New York Times“ Sofia has sought help from its allies to monitor Bulgaria's airspace and territorial waters, as well as to respond to future threats. After the emergency meeting of the Security Council, Radev spoke with Russian Ambassador Eleonora Mitrofanova.
Mitrofanova stated that the Russian Ministry of Defense does not have information about the series of drone attacks in the Black Sea. She admitted the possible involvement of a third party. In response, Radev indicated that “it makes no sense for Ukraine to destroy its own ships“.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that the Ukrainian armed forces were not conducting an operation in the area where the ships were hit. Russia has not commented on the strikes off the coasts of Bulgaria and Romania.
NATO and UN respond to the strikes
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said the alliance would take deterrence and defensive measures if necessary. “We have already strengthened our positions on the eastern flank and will continue to monitor the security situation,“ Rutte said.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described the Black Sea as a new front of escalation in Russia's war against Ukraine and called for perpetrators to be held accountable.
UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric described the attacks on civilian ships as “very worrying”. According to him, the increase in attacks on ships carrying grain, food and other products could affect the prices of goods around the world and create a deadly risk for sailors.
New talks on shipping security
„Financial Times“ notes that the strikes were carried out about a week after similar attacks in the same area. According to the publication, attacks in the Black Sea have increased since the summer, after Ukraine launched an intensive campaign against Russian ships.
Radev said that Bulgaria will initiate talks with Romania and Turkey on a joint proposal to guarantee the security of shipping in the Black Sea. According to „Wall Street Journal“ The strikes are a new test for NATO amid a growing number of attacks attributed to Moscow near the alliance's territorial and maritime borders.
Sources: bta.bg