Bulgarian PM says Romania's Russia accusation sparked new Black Sea drone strikes

At the seventh Sofia Economic Forum, Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev asserted that Romania’s public claim blaming Russia for recent drone attacks in the Black Sea triggered new attacks on vessels within Romania’s exclusive economic zone. He praised Bulgaria’s rescue teams for operating in darkness and severe weather, underscoring the country's ability to meet international search-and-rescue duties. Radev said he was the only NATO Black Sea member prime minister to call in the Russian ambassador and to demand clear evidence before making accusations.

He reported that Bulgaria has worked to recover the damaged cargo vessel Chelsea 3 and has launched a detailed investigation, reaffirming the security guarantees of the EU, NATO and the United States. The minister noted that eight merchant ships were struck or involved in drone-related incidents between 5 and 23 October off the coasts of Bulgaria and Romania, suggesting Russia may target nations that label it as the aggressor, while Bulgaria avoided further attacks by not naming Russia.