Radev discusses ship attacks with Russian ambassador

Bulgaria's prime minister met Eleonora Mitrofanova on October 13 after new drone attacks in the Black Sea. Sofia is continuing to establish responsibility.

BTA reported that Rumen Radev summoned the Russian ambassador. He said the circumstances suggested possible Russian involvement, while acknowledging the absence of conclusive evidence identifying the perpetrators.

Mitrofanova said she had no information from Russia's Defence Ministry concerning the incidents and suggested a possible provocation by a third party. That is the ambassador's position, rather than an established cause of the attacks.

The meeting followed attacks on two merchant ships on October 13 outside Bulgaria's territorial waters. One vessel sank. Those incidents followed attacks on October 6.

In early October, 18 sailors were evacuated from the Palau-flagged Able after an attack, with two seriously injured. The Togo-flagged Alfa Watan sank and its crew was reported missing. Those details concern the earlier incidents, rather than the new vessels attacked on October 13.

The ambassador's meeting constitutes a separate diplomatic step after the latest attacks. Statements implicating a country remain attributed claims, and accounts of the meeting do not provide final investigation findings.