Bulgaria's defense minister: attack on Black Sea ships was deliberate, unsure if Russian or Ukrainian drones

Bulgarian Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov said on October 6 that drone strikes on two commercial ships in Bulgaria's Black Sea exclusive economic zone were deliberate and targeted — but he could not confirm whether the drones were Ukrainian or Russian.

Minister: Bulgaria is part of the hybrid war

Speaking on Bulgarian television bTV, Stoyanov said investigators needed to find drone fragments or have one side claim responsibility before the origin could be confirmed. He stressed the attack was clearly intentional, not accidental.

He added: "We are obviously part of the hybrid war between Ukraine and Russia, regardless of exactly which side. This is part of a war being waged beside us. There is nothing surprising about this."

One ship sank, crew missing

The attack struck two cargo vessels in Bulgarian exclusive economic zone waters. Prime Minister Rumen Radev confirmed one ship sank with crew members unaccounted for. Ukraine's President Zelensky later stated that the Ukrainian Navy confirmed it was a Russian combined naval and aerial drone attack, and called for clear retaliatory measures against Russia. Bulgaria's President subsequently called an emergency national security council session.