Eleven people were missing after two merchant vessels were hit off Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast, underscoring how Russia’s war in Ukraine is increasingly spilling into surrounding waters.
Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev summoned Russia’s ambassador after drones struck the Ukrainian-owned cargo ship Chelsea 3. A second vessel was hit soon afterwards and sank farther north, close to the coast of the NATO and European Union member state.
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Commercial shipping in the Black Sea has faced mounting dangers in recent months as the consequences of the Ukraine-Russia war have spread beyond the main battlefield.
Mr Radev said Chelsea 3 had been “hit by three aerial drones”. Shortly afterwards, he said, another vessel was “struck” before sinking.
The presidency later named the sunken ship as the HS Dignity, a cargo vessel sailing under the flag of Guinea-Bissau. It said the ship went down 17 nautical miles east of Krapets, a Bulgarian town.
“According to information we got from the rescue centre … five people were rescued and 11 are missing. This is preliminary information,” a spokeswoman for the northeastern region of Dobrich said.
The vessel had been travelling from Algeria to the Romanian port of Braila, carrying a crew made up of Syrian and Egyptian nationals, according to Bulgaria’s interior ministry.
Mr Radev said all 15 crew members aboard Chelsea 3 had been rescued. The group comprised seven Ukrainians and eight Azerbaijanis.
The interior ministry said the ship was hit 16 nautical miles east of Byala, another Bulgarian coastal town.
Logic suggests the outcome works to the advantage of the Russian Federation, Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev said
‘Illogical for Ukraine to strike own ships’
Bulgarian Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov said there was no reason for Ukraine to attack vessels of its own ownership.
“Under these circumstances, we assume the drones are Russian,” he said.
The remarks marked the first time Bulgaria — whose leader, Mr Radev, has sought to balance the country’s Euro-Atlantic commitments with a more conciliatory stance towards Moscow — directly pointed the finger at Russia.
NATO chief Mark Rutte, speaking after a call with Mr Radev, said the alliance would respond by adjusting its defences “as needed”.
“We have already strengthened our posture along the eastern flank and will continue to monitor the security environment, adjusting our deterrence and defence posture,” Mr Rutte said.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen condemned the strikes, describing them as “another front of escalation of the Russian war in Ukraine”.
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga likewise blamed Russia, accusing Moscow of showing a “deliberate disregard for civilian lives and maritime security in the Black Sea”.
“The Black Sea is a lifeline for global food security. Russia is attacking it to weaponise hunger and hold the world hostage,” he posted on X.
Conflict spreads across the Black Sea
As the effects of Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine continue to widen, drone attacks have become more common in countries bordering the conflict.
The violence has also reached deeper into the eastern Black Sea. At least 45 merchant vessels were attacked in the region during the past 12 months, including in waters that had not previously been designated as high risk, maritime risk management company Ambrey said last month.
Ambrey said no attacks had been recorded in those areas during the previous 12 months, with the latest rise linked to strikes taking place farther from the Russian and Ukrainian coasts.
Last week, two commercial ships were hit in the Black Sea off Bulgaria in an incident widely attributed to Russia, although Bulgarian officials said the circumstances had not been established.
Nine Syrians and one Egyptian are still missing.
The double strike came one day after another vessel caught fire and sank off Romania, killing one person and leaving another unaccounted for. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russian drones had struck that ship.
The Bulgarian Helsinki Committee and Bulgarian Lawyers for Human Rights, two human rights organisations, called on prosecutors to begin an immediate investigation into possible war crimes connected to the attacks.
