Two ships hit off Bulgaria's coast

A Guinea-Bissau-flagged vessel sank seventeen nautical miles east of Krapets with eleven crew missing and five rescued. A Ukrainian-owned ship was hit eighteen nautical miles from Byala with all fifteen crew rescued.

One ship identified as Chelsea-3

The Maltese-flagged Chelsea-3, registered in Ukraine's Odesa, was hit by drones. Five of its crew members were treated for minor injuries. The other vessel was named HS Dignity.

Part of a pattern of attacks

The strikes come a week after two other commercial ships were hit by sea and aerial drones in Bulgaria's exclusive economic zone. The Alfa Watan sank with all ten crew, including nine Syrians, presumed dead.

Radev summons Russian ambassador

Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev convened an emergency meeting and summoned Russian envoy Eleonora Mitrofanova.

“the logic suggests that the outcome benefits the Russian Federation”

Russian ambassador denies knowledge

Mitrofanova told Radev she had no information from Russia's defence ministry relating to the latest attacks. She also said these strikes could have been a provocation by a third party.

NATO secretary general responds

Bulgaria is a NATO member. Secretary General Mark Rutte said NATO will continue to work closely with allies in the Black Sea and will monitor the security environment, adjusting deterrence and defence posture as needed.

“Nato will continue to work closely with our allies in the Black Sea”

Attack narrowly missed triggering Article 5

The two ships were struck just outside Bulgarian territorial waters. If the attack had happened a few nautical miles to the west, Article 5 of the NATO treaty could have been triggered, treating an armed…