Bulgaria to join NATO anti-drone initiative after Black Sea ship sinks
Bulgaria plans to join a NATO anti-drone initiative by the end of October as a series of attacks on cargo ships in the Black Sea raises concerns over maritime security near the alliance’s southeastern flank.
Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov announced the move on Wednesday, a day after a drone strike sank a cargo vessel off Bulgaria’s coast for the second time in a week.
“Bulgaria will be part of this project as soon as possible,” Stoyanov said during a parliamentary hearing, according to local media. He added that the country was expected to join by October 30.
The initiative aims to strengthen protection against drone threats as the war between Russia and Ukraine increasingly affects commercial shipping routes in the Black Sea.
11 sailors missing after cargo ship sinks
Two cargo vessels were struck by drones off the Bulgarian coast on October 13. One of them, the Guinea-Bissau-flagged HS Dignity, sank, leaving 11 sailors missing.
The incident prompted Sofia to summon Russia’s ambassador, although Bulgarian authorities have stopped short of directly accusing Moscow of carrying out the attacks.
Bulgaria’s transport ministry announced on Wednesday that search and rescue operations for the missing crew members had been suspended because of strong winds, reduced visibility and high waves.
The latest incidents follow drone strikes against two other cargo vessels in the same waters on October 6, raising further concerns over the safety of commercial shipping.
Prime Minister Rumen Radev said on Tuesday that the outcome of the attacks “benefits the Russian Federation.”
Russia’s ambassador to Sofia, Eleonora Mitrofanova, said she had received no information from Russia’s Defence Ministry about attacks on commercial vessels. She also suggested that a third party could have carried them out as a provocation, according to the Bulgarian government.
Russia-Ukraine war heightens Black Sea risks
The attacks have intensified concerns that drone warfare linked to the Russia-Ukraine conflict could threaten commercial vessels operating near NATO members Bulgaria and Romania.
Russia has continued attacks on Ukrainian Black Sea ports, prompting Kyiv to rely increasingly on Danube River ports and shipping routes close to NATO territory.
Ukraine, meanwhile, has stepped up attacks on Russian grain-exporting vessels in other parts of the Black Sea and near the mouth of the Don River in the Sea of Azov.
The growing risks to commercial shipping have placed additional pressure on countries bordering the Black Sea to strengthen surveillance and protection measures.
Sofia seeks stronger protection along NATO’s southeastern flank
Bulgaria’s planned participation in the NATO anti-drone initiative reflects efforts to reinforce the alliance’s defences against unmanned aerial threats as the conflict’s maritime risks extend beyond the immediate battlefield.
The latest ship attacks have highlighted the vulnerability of commercial vessels operating near NATO territory and raised concerns over the potential consequences for regional security and Black Sea trade.
With 11 sailors still missing from the sunken HS Dignity, the incidents have added urgency to calls for stronger protection of maritime traffic in the region.
Source:TRTWORLD
