Black Sea Strikes Test Bulgaria’s Maritime Control

Drone strikes sank two ships in Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone and nearby waters on Tuesday, leaving 11 crew members missing. Five others survived. Bulgaria sought international help with the investigation and asked NATO to improve surveillance and response capabilities. The government said Russia likely carried out attacks on four Black Sea ships in the past week, but admitted it couldn't prove Moscow was responsible.

Strikes in Bulgarian Waters

Bulgaria said four ships came under attack in the Black Sea over the past week, and two sank. After Tuesday’s strikes, rescuers continued searching for 11 missing crew members; five others had been rescued. The government hasn't established who carried out the attacks.

One vessel that sank was registered to Guinea-Bissau. The other, the Chelsea-3, belonged to Ukrainian owners, was registered in Odesa and sailed under Malta’s flag. Malta is a European Union member. The ships’ ownership and registration tied the incident to several countries, while the strikes took place in Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone and adjacent waters.

Prime Minister Rumen Radev told Parliament that the attacks pointed toward Russia, though the evidence did not settle the matter. “There is no logic in Ukraine attacking its own ships and crews, given that the outcome of all these attacks favors Russia — and indeed, the logic points in that direction. The problem is that we cannot prove it,” he said.

Bulgaria has identified a likely perpetrator, but says it lacks proof. Radev summoned the Russian ambassador to Sofia on Tuesday. She said she had no information from the Russian defense ministry and didn't rule out that “these attacks represent a provocation by a third party.”

Requests for Security Support

Bulgaria asked for international help investigating the attacks on commercial vessels. It also asked NATO to strengthen surveillance and control systems and improve the ability to respond to drone attacks. The requests put the safety of commercial shipping in Bulgarian waters at the heart of the government’s response. NATO hasn't agreed to provide the requested support, according to the article.

President Iliana Yotova called for an immediate halt to hostilities in the Black Sea and a moratorium on drone attacks against commercial and civilian infrastructure. Speaking in a television interview on Tuesday, she said: “The unprecedented attacks demonstrate that the war has reached the Black Sea and that the conflict is intensifying.”

Yotova said she and her colleagues from Romania and Turkey had taken coordinated steps in response to rising risks and dangers in the Black Sea basin. She described the goal as “a moratorium on the use of drones over the Black Sea against commercial and civilian infrastructure and to halt hostilities over the sea.” Her remarks propose restraint; they don't report an agreement already in force.

Rescue Operation Continues

A military strike hit the Guinea-Bissau-flagged cargo ship Dignity, and the vessel sank Tuesday. Four sailors—three Syrian nationals and one Egyptian—survived and reached the port of Varna, district Gov. Mario Smarkov said. “All four appeared to be in relatively good condition and had sustained no injuries,” he said.

Smarkov said a fifth sailor was expected to arrive later on Wednesday. The search for 11 missing crew members continued. The casualties and rescue effort show the human cost of attacks on commercial vessels. Bulgaria has sought outside investigative and security assistance, but responsibility for the strikes remains unproven.