Zelensky denies Ukraine's involvement in attack on Bulgarian ships

“ Aukraine’s Defence Forces did not carry out operations in this area of the sea,” Zelensky said in a message on their social networks, where he stressed that this “last tragedy” is part of Russia’s efforts to make this maritime route “completely inadequate for navigation.”.

Zelensky sent a message of solidarity to the affected and announced that Ukrainian intelligence services are collecting all available information on this subject and checking the details with the Bulgarian part.

“Our Navy contacted its counterpart in Bulgaria, and it was confirmed that it was a combined Russian attack using marine and air drones,” said the Ukrainian President, who on Monday already denounced another attack of a Turkish-flag vessel in the Black Sea, which caused two deaths.

Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev described what happened as “absolutely unacceptable” and a flagrant violation of international law.

At a time when a reaction from Moscow is awaited, it is recalled that the spokesperson of the Kremlin, Dmitry Peskov, last week, has already said that Ukraine will have to “pay a price” for its attacks on the Black Sea and argued that Russia’s actions seek to “cut completely” the supply of military materials to its enemy through this maritime route.

This attack has already generated several reactions from the international community and the Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also condemned today the attacks on commercial ships in the exclusive economic areas of Romania and Bulgaria in the Black Sea.

“ Attacking civilian ships is unacceptable and threatens not only regional security, but also global supply chains and food security,” he defended the ministry in a publication on social network X, identifying the official accounts of Bulgaria’s foreign ministers, Velislava Petrova, and Romania, Toiu Oana.

“ Freedom of navigation at sea Black is essential”, added the ministry.

The attacks on Turkish freighter Royad Mammadov in the exclusive economic zone of Romania are concerned, in which two crewmen died and 11 were rescued on Sunday and two other ships were hit today along the Bulgarian coast.

One of the ships, the Alfa Watan, which was sailing under the flag of Togo, suffered critical structural damage and sank at the site, said today the Bulgarian Prime Minister, Rumen Radev, adding that there is still no information on the situation of the crew.

The second vessel, the Able, which sailed under the flag of Palau, burned down after the attack.

The entire crew, composed of 18 people, was removed by a Bulgarian ferry.

Two of the sailors suffered serious injuries and were transported by plane to a hospital in the port city of Varna, Radev announced.

The origin of the drones has not yet been determined.