Russia is testing NATO's readiness for collective resistance and is looking for the weakest points in the Alliance's defense. Bulgaria has long been among these vulnerable positions, said Captain 1st Rank Vasil Danov, a member of the Atlantic Council of Bulgaria and a military expert.
His comment comes after drone attacks on two merchant ships in the Bulgarian exclusive economic zone in the Black Sea. The vessels were hit about 70 nautical miles east of Byala. The Bulgarian government announced that air and sea drones were used against them. One ship sank, and the other caught fire.
“Russia was testing and will continue to test NATO's readiness to provide collective resistance, by looking for the weakest points in collective defense“, Vasil Danov told “Euronews Bulgaria“.According to him, what happened off the Bulgarian coast is a signal of a serious change in the security environment. “Unfortunately, our country has long been among these weak points“, Danov said.
The perpetrator has not yet been officially named
At the time of the statement, it had not been confirmed who was behind the attacks. Prime Minister Rumen Radev said that Bulgaria was conducting a rescue operation in the area, but the institutions had not announced an official perpetrator. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia of the strike on a civilian ship carrying grain from Ukraine.
BNR reported that Danov had insisted that the responsible institutions establish the origin of the drones and provide public information about the attack. According to him, ships related to the transport of Ukrainian grain are passing around the Bulgarian and Romanian coasts.
Criticism of Bulgaria's readiness
Danov cited the country's limited surveillance and response capabilities as a problem. In an interview with BNR, he said that Bulgaria's airspace is monitored by radars that are about 40 years old. According to him, this limits the possibilities for timely detection and tracking of air targets.
The military expert also criticized Bulgaria's refusal to join some coalition initiatives related to defense and security. He said recent events show the need for faster decisions to protect the Black Sea region.
In September 2025, Danov warned that Russia could use drone operations as a test of NATO unity and response. At the time, he identified the Baltic states as a likely target in the event of another Russian aggression. In his latest commentary, he emphasized the vulnerabilities on the southeastern flank, where Bulgaria is also located.
Sources: euronews.bg, bnrnews.bg, amp.dw.com