Bulgaria announced on Tuesday that two ships off the coast of the country were attacked by drones. Rumen Radev, the Prime Minister of Bulgaria, detailed these attacks in a media post, stating that one of the ships, a cargo vessel belonging to Ukraine, "was targeted by three aerial drones." This incident marks the second such occurrence in the Black Sea in the past week.
Analysis and Accusation Against Russia
Radev also noted that "we do not have clear and strong evidence to accuse any specific party; however, logic suggests that the outcomes of these attacks benefit the Russian Federation." He also confirmed that no one was killed in these attacks. It is unclear what the source of last week's attack was, but Moscow is also considered one of the suspects.
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International Reactions
Radev further stated that the escalation of violence in the Black Sea is "unacceptable" and intends to summon the Russian representative to discuss this matter. Additionally, Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, condemned these attacks, calling them "another front in Russia's escalation of war in Ukraine." She expressed support for Bulgaria and thanked the country's rescuers for their swift response, emphasizing that those responsible for these attacks must be held accountable.
In the past 12 months, at least 45 commercial ships in the Black Sea have been targeted by drone attacks, and Russia's war has had serious impacts on Eastern Europe. Radev has also requested official assistance from the European Union and NATO to identify the exact source of these recent attacks.
