The attacks on merchant ships in the Black Sea may be a provocation by a third party. This was stated by the Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Bulgaria Eleonora Mitrofanova during a meeting with Prime Minister Rumen Radev at the Council of Ministers.
The conversation took place against the backdrop of new drone attacks on merchant ships near Bulgarian territorial waters. The meeting began at around 10:00 and lasted approximately one hour.
Radev: There is no definitive evidence of the origin of the drones
During the conversation, Rumen Radev emphasized that Bulgaria still does not have definitive evidence of the origin of the drones used in the attacks.
The Prime Minister pointed out that it makes no sense for Ukraine to destroy its own ships, and the results of the strikes are in favor of Russia. Mitrofanova stated that she understands this logic, but does not have information from the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation related to the recent attacks.
„These attacks are absolutely unacceptable and lead to a significant escalation of the conflict“, Rumen Radev stated.Bulgaria will continue the investigation of the incidents together with its allies from the European Union and NATO. The aim is to establish the origin of the drones and the responsibility for the attacks.
Risks for shipping are increasing
The attacks are already having an impact on commercial shipping in the Black Sea. The risk to vessels has increased, insurance has become more expensive, and there are even refusals to transport cargo to Bulgarian ports.
Due to the increased risk, oil supplies to the Burgas refinery are becoming more expensive and are under threat. Bulgaria is not a party to the war, but according to the government, it is suffering significant economic and financial consequences from the escalation in the region.
Rumen Radev has stated that Bulgaria will initiate talks with Romania and Turkey to develop joint proposals to guarantee the safety of shipping in the Black Sea.
Sources: bgonair.bg