A civilian cargo vessel identified as the Alfa Watan sank following drone strikes in the Black Sea off Bulgaria’s coast, with the fate of its crew unknown. A second ship, the Able, was also targeted in the same incident and struck by both air and sea-based drones at approximately 03:00 local time roughly 70 miles from the Bulgarian coastal town of Byala. The crew of 18 aboard the grain-carrying vessel was rescued by Bulgarian sailors, though two required treatment for injuries sustained in a fire. The Alfa Watan, a Turkish-owned general cargo vessel flying a Togolese flag, sank following the assault, and search operations were initiated to locate missing personnel.
Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev characterized the attacks as violations of maritime law and expressed concern about escalation of the conflict. He stated that such strikes within Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone represent unacceptable conduct, while drawing connections to the broader conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Radev refrained from directly attributing responsibility but indicated that the incidents reflected the expanding geographical scope of the war if left unresolved. Russia has not issued public comment regarding the latest attacks, though Ukrainian officials and European leaders have raised concerns about intensifying maritime operations in the region.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen condemned the strikes as unacceptable and noted that civilian shipping and innocent crews face increasing risks. She emphasized that while full details of the incidents remain under investigation, the overall situation in the Black Sea presents mounting concerns. The incidents represent part of a broader pattern of maritime attacks in the region, with Ukrainian sources reporting additional casualties from separate incidents earlier in the week. Russian defense officials previously announced plans to intensify operations across Ukraine in response to Ukrainian statements regarding attacks on Russian infrastructure.
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