Drones sank two cargo ships and damaged a third in the exclusive economic zones of two NATO member states, marking a new escalation in the risks facing commercial navigation in the Black Sea. The latest attacks took place on October 6 about 128 kilometers from the Bulgarian coast, while a strike the previous day targeted a vessel near Romania’s exclusive economic zone.
The Alfa Watan, flying the Togolese flag, was heading north when it sank, and the condition of its crew remains unknown according to the information available. The Able, flying the flag of Palau and carrying wheat southward, caught fire after being attacked by several naval and aerial drones. A Bulgarian boat managed to evacuate its 18 crew members, while two sailors who had suffered serious injuries were taken to a hospital in the city of Varna.
Casualties and an Earlier Attack in Romanian Waters
On October 5, the Turkish-owned cargo ship Royad Mammadov was attacked inside Romania’s exclusive economic zone. A fire broke out on board before it sank, and Romanian ships and helicopters rescued 11 crew members, while one person remained missing. The attack killed two sailors, and the vessel was carrying corn loaded at the Ukrainian port of Izmail.
Bulgarian President Rumen Radev said the attack on the vessels represented an “unacceptable attack” and a clear violation of international and maritime law. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen described the strikes as increasingly concerning, but stressed that their circumstances were still being established and did not name a potential perpetrator.
Ukraine Accuses Russia
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said a joint investigation with the Bulgarian navy concluded that the latest attacks were a “joint Russian attack” using naval and aerial drones, affirming that Ukrainian forces were not conducting operations in that part of the Black Sea. Moscow denies similar accusations, and the source does not provide a final independent finding establishing responsibility for the three attacks.
These events come amid the expanding use of drones in naval warfare. Ukraine has used aerial drones and drone boats to attack Russian ships and ports, and has also targeted vessels linked to the oil and gas sectors. Russia, in turn, has intensified its use of aerial and naval drones against Ukrainian ships and ports, as well as commercial vessels carrying grain or docking at Ukrainian ports.
What Is Changing in Practice?
Targeting civilian vessels inside the exclusive economic zones of NATO member states moves the risk from the direct sphere of the war into the commercial infrastructure of regional navigation. It also shows that vessels carrying grain and fuel face more than one type of threat: attacks may combine aerial drones and drone boats, making warning, protection and response at sea more difficult.
The source links these attacks to a broader series of incidents that European governments attribute to Russian “hybrid warfare” tactics, including the discovery of Russian-made drones near the Neptun Deep gas project in Romania, German allegations of an attempted explosive-drone attack near Leipzig Airport, and Estonian and Polish allegations of sabotage targeting facilities and companies. Open questions remain about how NATO countries will coordinate deterrence and investigation mechanisms and protect navigation, particularly given that responsibility for the latest maritime attacks has not yet been fully established.