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Originally published at CDM.press.
For the second time in a week, unknown attackers hit commercial cargo ships off Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast overnight. Prime Minister Rumen Radev said three drones struck the Ukrainian-owned, Maltese flagged cargo ship Chelsea 3 about 18 nautical miles off the coast near Byala, damaging it. All 15 crew members on board were rescued. Five of them received medical treatment for injuries sustained during the attack. A second cargo ship traveling near Krapets, 17 nautical miles off the coast was also attacked by drones and sank.
There were 15 people on board the Chelsea 3 – seven Ukrainians and eight Azerbaijanis – all of whom were rescued from the water after the ship went down. Five of them suffered minor injuries during the incident and were given treatment on shore. Radev also confirmed one sailor from the second ship near Krapets had survived the attack, while Balkan Insight reported the man had been one of five people to have been pulled from the wreckage, while 11 others on board were still missing.
Radev said there was no solid evidence pointing at Russia or Ukraine, but argued that the outcome “benefits” Russia. The PM had an emergency meeting of Bulgaria’s Security Council, called the Russian ambassador to the country for an explanation and was due to hold an urgent conversation with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. A Chelsea 3 survivor of the attacks in Varna told local media the drones came from Russia, an account that remains unverified. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen condemned the attacks on X on Tuesday.
The attack on the two ships in the exclusive economic zone of Bulgaria on October 6 was also perpetrated by drones. The Togo-flagged Alfa Watan sank in the attack, while the grain carrier Able of unknown flag was set on fire. Bulgaria stopped the search for the missing sailors on October 12. Both Russia and Ukraine had denied any involvement in the attack on the two Bulgarian ships.
Balkan Insight notes that Radev has spent years resisting criticism of the Kremlin and has often voiced skepticism towards Ukraine. On October 6, he had even downplayed Russia’s involvement in the attack on two ships off the coast of Bulgaria. However, with no party taking credit for the attack and crews losing their lives on commercial ships, Bulgaria is now being pulled toward a fight it did not start.
