One vessel has sunk and another was damaged following drone attacks near Bulgaria’s Black Sea shoreline, according to Prime Minister Rumen Radev. The Ukrainian-owned ship Chelsea 3, registered under a Maltese flag, was struck by three drones approximately 18 nautical miles (33km) from the coast around 1:30 am local time on Tuesday.
Radev confirmed that all 15 crew members aboard the Chelsea 3 were rescued. The crew consisted of seven Ukrainians and eight Azerbaijanis. Five individuals required medical attention, but no serious injuries were reported. The prime minister also noted that one crew member from a previously sunk ship in the same area had been rescued.
Condemning the attack as “absolutely unacceptable,” Radev highlighted the proximity of the incident to Bulgarian territorial waters. He stated he plans to discuss the matter with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte. While there is currently no definitive proof identifying the perpetrator, Radev observed that the outcome appears to benefit Russia, prompting him to summon the Russian ambassador for diplomatic explanations.
Bulgaria, a key NATO member situated on the Black Sea, serves as a strategic location where both Russia and Ukraine maintain vital port access. This event follows rising concerns regarding hybrid warfare tactics involving Russia. Just last week, drones struck two other ships off the Bulgarian coast, resulting in the sinking of one vessel, with all 10 crew members from that ship still listed as missing.
The crew was lucky this time. Hopefully, the missing sailors from last week’s attack are found soon.
This is dangerously close to our waters. I hope NATO takes this seriously and doesn’t ignore the pattern of hybrid warfare.
No definitive proof yet, but blaming Russia immediately feels premature. Why summon the ambassador before an investigation concludes?
Terrifying how close these incidents are to Bulgaria. All crew members were rescued, thank goodness, but this escalation is alarming.