Zelensky Blames Russia for Drone Attack That Sank Ship in Bulgaria’s Black Sea Economic Zone

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia carried out a combined attack with sea and aerial drones against civilian vessels in Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone, while Bulgarian Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov said it was still impossible to establish whether the drones were Ukrainian or Russian.

In his evening address on October 6, Zelensky said two civilian ships had been attacked in Bulgarian waters the previous night, with one sinking and the other suffering significant damage. He stressed that Ukrainian forces had not conducted operations in the area.

"Ukrainian defense forces have not carried out any operations in this area of ​​the sea," Zelensky said.

Zelensky said Ukrainian authorities had contacted their Bulgarian counterparts and that the information had been verified between the two sides. He said the Ukrainian Navy had communicated with Bulgaria’s naval authorities and that the attack had been identified as a Russian operation involving both sea and aerial drones.

"Our Navy contacted their counterparts in Bulgaria, and it was determined that this was a Russian combined attack using sea and aerial drones," the Ukrainian president said.

Zelensky said the attack was part of what he described as Russia’s effort to make the western Black Sea dangerous for shipping. He also said the incident was another escalation in Moscow’s actions against civilian shipping.

"This latest tragedy involving civilian ships continues Russia's attempts to render the western part of the Black Sea completely unsuitable for navigation," Zelensky said.

He ordered Ukraine’s Armed Forces, Defense Ministry, intelligence agencies and other services to coordinate with the country’s partners in response to the attack.

"I have instructed our Armed Forces, the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, our intelligence agencies, and all our services to cooperate as fully as possible with our partners so that both we and they have greater defensive capabilities," Zelensky stated.

The Ukrainian president also referred to the recent attack on a ship in Romanian waters.

"Just recently, a ship was hit in Romanian waters. Now - Bulgaria," he said.

Zelensky described Russia’s actions as a continuing escalation and also cited cases of Russian drones entering Moldova, as well as earlier attacks on ships and Ukrainian ports.

"That is exactly what the Russians are planning - to constantly ramp up the escalation," Zelensky declared.

He said Russian drones were repeatedly entering Moldova and that attacks on ships in the waters of Ukraine’s partners and on Ukrainian ports were continuing.

"Their drones are now constantly entering Moldova, and this is not the first attack on ships in the Black Sea within our partners' waters; attacks on our ports are continuing ceaselessly," he said.

Zelensky called for a direct response to what he described as Russian aggression.

"There must be a clear reaction to this Russian aggression. Absolutely clear countermeasures are needed," the Ukrainian president added.

Earlier, however, Bulgarian Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov told bTV that Bulgaria could not yet establish whether the drones that struck the two vessels were Ukrainian or Russian.

Stoyanov said investigators would need to recover drone wreckage or receive a claim of responsibility from one of the sides, neither of which had occurred. He assessed that maritime drones had been used in the attack.

"We need to find the drone wreckage or have one of the sides claim responsibility, but neither has happened; therefore, we cannot confirm whether they are Ukrainian or Russian. Our assessment is that the attack was carried out using maritime drones," the minister said.

Stoyanov said the incident was a deliberate attack rather than an accident and noted that there had been fatalities. He described Bulgaria as evidently being part of the hybrid war between Ukraine and Russia, regardless of which side was responsible.

"This is not an accident but a deliberate attack; there have been fatalities. We are evidently part of the hybrid war between Ukraine and Russia - whether on one side or the other. This is part of the war being waged close to us. There is nothing surprising here," the defense minister emphasized.

Stoyanov also said there was no information at that point about the cargo carried by the two ships. He explained that the information available had come from crew members and that a Bulgarian reconnaissance aircraft had not landed on the vessel to verify its cargo because the ship was still on fire.

"There is currently no information regarding the cargo of the struck ships. The information comes from the crew; one of our reconnaissance aircraft has not landed on the ship to verify the cargo. No such aircraft of ours will land there because there is currently a fire on the ship," Stoyanov said.

Zelensky later reiterated in his nightly video address that the attack had been carried out by Russia, saying Ukrainian authorities had confirmed the details with the Bulgarian side and that the two countries’ naval forces had been in contact.

He again said Ukrainian forces had not conducted operations in the area where the ships were attacked and described the incident as a Russian assault involving naval and aerial drones. He repeated his call for Ukraine’s armed forces, Defense Ministry, intelligence services and other agencies to work closely with partners to strengthen their self-defense capabilities.

The Ukrainian president also interpreted the attack in Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone as part of Russia’s effort to make the western Black Sea dangerous and unsuitable for navigation. The incident involved two ships struck by drones in Bulgarian waters, one of which sank.

Zelensky also warned in his evening address that Moscow was preparing a large-scale attack against Ukraine.

"Ukrainian defense forces did not conduct operations in this area of ​​the sea. This latest tragedy involving civilian ships continues Russia's attempts to make the western part of the Black Sea completely dangerous for navigation. We have clarified all information with the Bulgarian side: our Navy contacted their Bulgarian counterparts, and it was established that this was a combined Russian attack involving naval and aerial drones. I have instructed our Armed Forces, the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, our intelligence services, and all our agencies to cooperate as fully as possible with our partners so that both they and we have greater self-defense capabilities." Zelensky said.