Bulgaria summons Russian ambassador after fresh drone strikes
Sofia says it has no clear evidence of responsibility but is seeking NATO and EU support.
Follow-up to: Drone attacks hit two ships off Bulgaria; one sinks Tuesday, 13 October 2026, 11:04
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Bulgaria summoned Russia’s ambassador on Tuesday after drones struck two commercial vessels in the Black Sea, sinking one and damaging another. Prime Minister Rumen Radev said the attacks happened close to Bulgarian waters and that Sofia was seeking stronger surveillance assistance from NATO and the European Union.
The Russian ambassador, Eleonora Mitrofanova, met Radev in Sofia after the attacks. Bulgarian authorities said they had not established which country launched the drones. Radev nevertheless argued that the consequences of the strikes favoured Russia, while describing the attacks as unacceptable.
The Bulgarian government said the incident began after a distress signal was received at about 1.30am local time from a vessel roughly 18 miles east of Byala. A second ship was also hit in the country’s exclusive economic zone, according to Bulgarian officials and international news agencies.
The Ukrainian-operated Chelsea 3, sailing under the Maltese flag, was struck by three aerial drones, according to its crew. All 15 people on board were rescued; the crew included seven Ukrainians and eight Azerbaijanis, and five people received medical assistance.
A separate cargo vessel sank after being hit. Five sailors were rescued, while 11 others were reported missing as the search continued. Because public reports differed over the vessel’s precise name, Bulgarian officials’ broader description of the ship is used here.
Mitrofanova said she had no information from Russia’s defence ministry about attacks on commercial shipping in the Black Sea. She did not rule out the possibility that the incidents were a provocation by a third party, according to the Bulgarian government’s account of the meeting.
Radev held an emergency meeting of Bulgaria’s Security Council and spoke with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. He asked for help strengthening surveillance of Bulgarian airspace and maritime areas. Rutte said NATO would continue monitoring the security environment and adjust its posture on the eastern flank as needed.
The attacks follow a similar incident that Bulgaria reported a week earlier, in which drones struck two other commercial vessels in its exclusive economic zone. The repeated incidents have increased concern over the safety of shipping routes near NATO members Bulgaria and Romania, which are used by vessels involved in trade through the Black Sea.
Ukraine’s foreign minister blamed Russia, while the EU condemned the attacks and called for those responsible to be held accountable. Those statements are political attributions rather than independent findings: Bulgarian authorities say the investigation has not yet produced clear evidence identifying the attacker.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- Two commercial vessels were struck by drones near Bulgaria on 13 October 2026, and one sank.
- Bulgaria summoned Russia’s ambassador but said it had no clear evidence identifying the attacker.
- The Ukrainian-operated Chelsea 3 was damaged and all 15 crew members were rescued.
- Bulgaria requested stronger NATO and EU support for maritime and airspace surveillance.
Left
Arguments The attacks should be treated as part of Russia’s wider pressure campaign against civilian shipping and answered with stronger protection for crews, infrastructure and food-supply routes.
Values Civilian safety, international law, solidarity with Ukraine and accountability for state aggression.
Consequences Failure to respond could normalise attacks on merchant vessels and expose smaller NATO members to escalating hybrid warfare.
Centre
Arguments Bulgaria should strengthen surveillance and cooperate with NATO and the EU while preserving the evidential distinction between suspicion and attribution.
Values Collective security, due process, institutional credibility and proportionate escalation.
Consequences A measured response may protect shipping without triggering a wider confrontation, but it could appear too slow if attacks continue.
Right
Arguments The priority should be defending Bulgaria’s waters and trade routes, with practical deterrence and national control rather than open-ended commitments or assumptions about responsibility.
Values National sovereignty, border security, military readiness and protection of commerce.
Consequences More patrols and defensive capabilities could deter further strikes, but expanded military involvement would increase costs and the risk of escalation.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
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The central developments are supported by Bulgarian government statements, AP, Reuters and Bulgarian public broadcasting. Attribution remains explicitly uncertain and is presented as such.
- confirmed Bulgaria summoned Russia’s ambassador after drone strikes on commercial vessels. — Reported by the Bulgarian government, BNT, AP and Reuters. source
- confirmed Two vessels were struck and one sank. — Confirmed by Bulgarian officials and reported independently by AP and Reuters. source
- confirmed All 15 crew members of Chelsea 3 were rescued. — Stated by the Bulgarian government and AP. source
- confirmed Five sailors were rescued and 11 remained missing from the vessel that sank. — Reported by Reuters and AP. source
- confirmed Bulgaria has not established who launched the drones. — Radev and Bulgarian reporting explicitly said there was no clear evidence of responsibility. source
- confirmed Radev sought NATO and EU assistance to strengthen surveillance. — Reported by AP, Reuters and the Bulgarian government. source
- confirmed The attacks followed a similar incident a week earlier. — Reuters and AP describe the earlier strikes on commercial vessels in Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone. source
Editor's note
The strikes, rescue operation, diplomatic meeting and requests for NATO and EU assistance are confirmed by Bulgarian authorities and independent reporting. Responsibility for the attacks remains unconfirmed, and public reports differ over the name of the vessel that sank.Sources
- The Prime Minister convened an emergency Security Council meeting after a new attack on a merchant vessel — Government of Bulgaria
- Drones hit ships in Black Sea, sinking 1 and prompting rescue operations, Bulgaria says — Associated Press
- Eleven sailors missing after drone sinks ship off Bulgaria — Reuters via Investing.com
- Following the Latest Drone Attack, PM Radev Meets Russian Ambassador Mitrofanova — Bulgarian National Television
The story so far
- Tuesday, 13 October 2026, 11:04 Drone attacks hit two ships off Bulgaria; one sinks
- Tuesday, 13 October 2026, 13:03 Bulgaria summons Russian ambassador after fresh drone strikes (this article)
More on this in other media
- Sky News — „black sea”
- BBC News — „black sea”
- The Guardian — „black sea”