Bulgarian officials, in light of the escalating security situation in the Black Sea, have requested cooperation from the EU and NATO. This action follows reports of attacks on two ships near the Bulgarian coast, resulting in the deaths of 11 sailors and increasing casualties to over 20 in less than a week.
Recent Attacks and Officials' Reactions
Roman Radev, the Prime Minister of Bulgaria, expressed concern over the attacks on ships near Bulgaria's territorial waters, describing these attacks as "completely unacceptable." He called an emergency meeting of the Security Council and also contacted the President of the European Commission and the NATO Secretary General. Radev instructed the Minister of Defense to reach out to his counterparts in Turkey and Romania and to raise the issue at the European Council meeting on October 15 and 16.
Situation Analysis and Its Consequences
He also stated that there is no clear evidence to attribute responsibility to either party, but in his opinion, this situation benefits the Russian Federation. He further emphasized: "There is no logic for Ukraine to destroy its own ships. These attacks are advantageous to Russia." According to Bulgarian officials, at 1:00 AM on Tuesday, October 13, two ships were attacked. The ship Chelsea-3 (5827 dwt), sailing under the Maltese flag, sustained significant damage, and the rescue of its sailors was carried out by the Bulgarian border police. This ship was heading towards Moldova.
A large number of crew members from the ships, including 7 Ukrainians and 8 Azerbaijanis, were affected in these attacks, and efforts are ongoing to rescue 11 other sailors who are missing. The ship HS Dignity (8,642 dwt), sailing under the flag of Guinea-Bissau, also reported that it was sinking at the same time, and two other ships rushed to its aid.
Radev announced that Bulgaria is seeking to enhance its capabilities for monitoring and controlling maritime and airspace and has requested assistance from NATO and the EU. Meanwhile, Bulgaria, under pressure from the EU, has dispatched teams to the Black Sea and is searching for evidence of the recent attacks.
