Two merchant vessels were struck by drone attacks near the Bulgarian coast in the Black Sea on the night of October 12–13, 2026, leaving eleven crew members missing and prompting the Bulgarian government to request intensified support from NATO and the European Union. Roumen Radev confirmed the incidents during an emergency session of the national security council, describing the strikes as “unacceptable” and noting that they occurred in the immediate vicinity of Bulgaria’s territorial waters.
Crew and vessel status remains uncertain
The attacks targeted two distinct ships within the Bulgarian economic zone. The cargo vessel HS Dignity, which sailed under the flag of Guinea-Bissau, sank off the coast of the village of Krapets. According to regional authorities in Dobrich, five crew members were rescued, while eleven others remain missing. A separate vessel, the Chelsea 3, which is registered to Ukraine and flies the Maltese flag, was also struck by three aerial drones, as reported by Radev. While the Chelsea 3 sustained damage, its crew of seven Ukrainians and eight Azerbaijanis survived, with five sailors receiving medical treatment for minor injuries after the ship was brought into the port of Varna.
Bulgaria’s diplomatic response
Prime Minister Radev met with Eleonora Mitrofanova on October 13 to address the security incidents. During the meeting, the ambassador stated that the Russian Ministry of Defense had provided no information regarding the attacks, though she did not rule out the possibility of provocation by a third party. While Radev stopped short of directly attributing the strikes to Moscow, he noted that the attacks “benefit the Russian Federation.” This marks a shift in tone for the Bulgarian leadership, which has previously maintained a more conciliatory approach toward the Kremlin. To bolster maritime security, Radev has initiated contact with NATO General Mark Rutte and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, seeking additional surveillance resources.
Escalation in the Black Sea
These strikes follow a similar incident on October 6, when a vessel sank in the same region after being targeted by drones. That earlier attack resulted in the disappearance of ten sailors—nine from Syria and one from Egypt—while the crew of a second vessel involved in that same incident was successfully rescued. Andrii Sybiha explicitly blamed Moscow for the current wave of strikes, stating on social media that the actions demonstrate a “deliberate disregard for civilian lives.” Sybiha characterized the Black Sea as a vital corridor for global food security, accusing Russia of using hunger as a weapon of war. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen condemned the drone strikes, asserting that the Black Sea has become a new front in the ongoing conflict following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Strategic maritime shifts
The maritime landscape in the Black Sea has undergone significant changes since the conflict began, forcing Ukraine to rely increasingly on river ports along the Danube and shipping routes hugging the coasts of NATO members Bulgaria and Romania. As the conflict enters its fourth year, the economic endurance of these shipping lanes has become a focal point of regional tensions. In retaliation for strikes on its own grain exporters in other parts of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, Ukraine has targeted Russian vessels, creating a volatile environment for international commercial shipping. The Bulgarian government has requested technical assistance from the European Maritime Safety Agency to determine the precise origin of the drones used in the recent attacks.
