In brief
Prime Minister Rumen Radev summoned Russian Ambassador Eleonora Mitrofanova following drone attacks on the HS Dignity and the Ukrainian‑owned Chelsea‑3 in the Black Sea. Six crew survived the sinking of HS Dignity, while 10 went missing; all 15 crew on Chelsea‑3 were rescued with minor injuries. The incidents, occurring near Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone, raise questions about Russia’s involvement and trigger heightened NATO vigilance. Diplomatic calls and investigative appeals underscore the escalating maritime threat amid the broader Ukraine war.
Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev has summoned the Russian ambassador following two merchant ships being struck by drones off Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast, one of them sinking.
Six crew members on the Guinea‑Bissau‑flagged HS Dignity were rescued after the vessel went down 17 nautical miles east of the village of Krapets. Ten others remain missing. The Ukrainian‑owned Chelsea‑3, hit 18 nautical miles from Byala, had all 15 crew rescued, 5 sustaining minor injuries.
Radev convened an emergency meeting and demanded answers. Russian Ambassador Eleonora Mitrofanova stated she had no information from Moscow and suggested a third‑party provocation. Radev said the outcome seemed to favour Russia.
Both attacks occurred outside Bulgarian territorial waters but inside its exclusive economic zone; a strike closer to shore could have triggered NATO Article 5. Bulgaria’s defence minister noted the escalating tension in the Black Sea and the threat to European food security.
Ukraine’s foreign minister condemned the attacks as deliberate disregard for civilian life, calling on the world to counter Russia’s “weaponised hunger.” Russia has denied responsibility, accusing Ukraine of targeting Russian merchant vessels.
The incidents follow earlier drone strikes on two commercial vessels, the Alfa Watan and another ship, which sank with all crew presumed dead.
Bulgaria, a NATO member, has urged EU and NATO partners for technical support in investigating the attacks and has urged restraint from all parties amid the Russia‑Ukraine conflict.
