Bulgaria blames Russia after drones hit two merchant ships off Black Sea coast

Two merchant ships were struck by drones off Bulgaria's Black Sea coast on or around 13 October 2026, with one vessel sinking. Eleven crew members remain missing and 20 were rescued in total.

Prime Minister Rumen Radev attributed the attacks to Russia and summoned the Russian ambassador. He provided no public evidence for the attribution. The incident is the second of its kind in six days along the Bulgarian coast.

The ships were commercial vessels operating in the western Black Sea. One took on water and sank after the drone strikes. Rescue operations recovered 20 people from the water. The missing crew members have not been located as of the latest reports.

Bulgaria has recorded increased drone activity near its waters since the intensification of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Previous incidents involved unidentified aerial vehicles approaching or striking shipping. Radev's decision to call in the Russian ambassador marks a formal diplomatic step beyond earlier statements.

The Black Sea has become a contested zone for both naval and commercial traffic. Ukraine has used maritime drones against Russian naval assets. Russia has targeted Ukrainian ports and shipping. Incidents off NATO member Bulgaria raise the possibility of spillover into alliance waters.

No group has claimed responsibility for the strikes on the two merchant ships. The drones were described as unknown in initial reports. Bulgarian authorities have not released radar tracks or debris analysis that would identify the type or origin of the vehicles.

The sinking of one vessel and the missing crew add to the human cost of the broader conflict's maritime dimension. Commercial operators in the Black Sea already face higher insurance costs and routing adjustments. Further incidents could prompt additional protective measures by NATO members in the region.

Radev's public blame on Russia without accompanying evidence leaves the attribution open to verification. Russian officials have not issued an immediate public response in the available reporting. The summons of the ambassador indicates that Sofia is treating the matter as a state-to-state issue rather than an isolated criminal act.

Search operations for the missing crew continue. The rescued sailors have been taken ashore for medical checks. Details on the cargo and flag states of the two ships have not been fully disclosed in initial accounts.

The second incident within a week suggests a pattern rather than a single event. Bulgarian coast guard and naval units have increased patrols in the area. The outcome of the diplomatic engagement with Russia will determine whether the episode remains a bilateral matter or draws wider NATO attention.