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Two cargo ships were attacked overnight on October 13 in the Black Sea off Bulgaria, Prime Minister Rumen Radev said. Fifteen crew members aboard the Ukrainian-owned Chelsea 3 were evacuated, with five reportedly suffering minor injuries; one person was rescued from a second ship that sank. Bulgaria plans to summon the Russian ambassador, but Radev said there is not yet clear evidence to assign responsibility.
Two cargo ships were attacked overnight on October 13 in the Black Sea off Bulgaria, Prime Minister Rumen Radev said, with one vessel sinking and five sailors reportedly sustaining minor injuries. Bulgaria plans to summon Russian Ambassador Eleonora Mitrofanova, but Radev said the country does not yet have clear evidence to accuse anyone of carrying out the attacks.
Three drones struck the Chelsea 3, a Ukrainian-owned ship sailing under a Maltese flag, about 18 nautical miles (33 kilometers) east of Byala, according to Radev. All 15 crew members were evacuated: seven Ukrainian citizens and eight Azerbaijani citizens. Preliminary reports indicated that five sailors had minor injuries.
A second cargo ship sank about 17 nautical miles east of Krapets, Radev said. One crew member from that vessel was rescued. The source report did not identify the ship, give its flag or ownership, or state how many people were aboard before it sank.
Radev said Bulgaria would summon the Russian ambassador and that he had a call scheduled with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha condemned what he described as a Russian attack and urged partners to increase pressure on Moscow. Those statements express the officials’ positions; responsibility for the incident has not been established in the information available.
Risks to Black Sea Shipping
The attacks involved commercial vessels and civilian crews close to Bulgaria, a NATO member bordering the Black Sea. The reported injuries and sinking of a ship highlight the immediate danger to seafarers and the potential for incidents near a NATO member’s waters to raise diplomatic and security concerns.
The location also matters for maritime traffic in a region where Russia’s war against Ukraine has repeatedly brought security risks to shipping. But the available report does not establish who launched the drones or whether the vessels were deliberately targeted. Bulgaria’s planned diplomatic summons and Radev’s scheduled call with Rutte show that Sofia is treating the incident as a matter requiring both bilateral and alliance-level discussion.
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A Second Reported Attack Week
The October 13 incident follows reports of drone attacks on two other cargo ships off Bulgaria about a week earlier. The vessels were reported to be about 110 kilometers (68 miles) from shore; one crew was evacuated and the other ship sank. The report does not establish whether the earlier and latest incidents are connected.
Reuters reported that the earlier attack was the first known drone attack on civilian ships in Bulgarian waters since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began. That description refers to what was known at the time of Reuters’ report, not a confirmed finding about the incidents’ perpetrators or whether the latest events form a wider campaign.
“Russia’s latest attack on commercial vessels near Bulgaria’s territorial waters, which injured Ukrainian and Azerbaijani citizens, once again demonstrates Moscow’s deliberate disregard for civilian lives and maritime security in the Black Sea.”
— Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha
Responsibility and Damage Still Unclear
Who carried out the attacks has not been established in the source material. Radev said Bulgaria lacked solid, unambiguous evidence to make an accusation, even as he argued that the outcome benefits Russia. Sybiha blamed Russia, but the report provides no evidence supporting that attribution.
Other details are also pending. The report does not name the sunken ship, specify its ownership or flag, explain the full extent of damage to Chelsea 3, or give an updated medical assessment of the injured sailors. It also does not describe the drones’ launch point, the precise sequence of events, or whether investigators have linked the October 13 attacks to the earlier incidents.
Sofia Turns to Moscow and NATO
Bulgaria’s next stated steps are to summon Ambassador Eleonora Mitrofanova and for Radev to speak with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. The report gives no date or further details for either contact, and does not say what response Sofia expects from Moscow.
Further information will depend on official updates about the investigation, the condition of the injured crew members, and the circumstances surrounding the sunken vessel. Until authorities provide evidence identifying those responsible, claims assigning blame should remain distinct from confirmed details about the attacks and their consequences.
Key Questions
What happened off Bulgaria on October 13?
Prime Minister Rumen Radev said drones attacked two cargo ships in the Black Sea. The Ukrainian-owned Chelsea 3 was struck by three drones, and a second ship sank.
Were there casualties?
All 15 crew members aboard Chelsea 3 were evacuated. Five sailors reportedly had minor injuries, according to preliminary reports. One person was rescued from the second ship; the report does not provide a full crew count or an updated casualty assessment.
Who is responsible for the attacks?
Responsibility has not been established in the source material. Radev said Bulgaria did not have clear evidence to make an accusation, while Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha blamed Russia.
What is Bulgaria planning to do?
Sofia plans to summon Russian Ambassador Eleonora Mitrofanova. Radev also said he had a call scheduled with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
Were these the first attacks on ships off Bulgaria?
No. The report says two other cargo ships were attacked off Bulgaria about a week earlier. Reuters described that earlier incident as the first known drone attack on civilian ships in Bulgarian waters since the start of the war in Ukraine; it does not establish whether the incidents are connected.
Source: rss
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