Key facts
- A drone entered Bulgarian airspace from Romania on Saturday and exploded.
- The incident occurred near the village of Kardam, close to the Romanian border.
- Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev confirmed the drone incursion and explosion.
- There were no reported casualties or damage to infrastructure.
- Security surveillance along the Bulgaria-Romania border and at strategic sites will be enhanced.
A drone entered Bulgarian airspace from Romania on Saturday and subsequently exploded near the village of Kardam, according to Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev. The unmanned aerial vehicle entered Bulgarian airspace at 0810 local time and detonated in a sunflower field near the border with Romania. Radev stated there were no casualties or infrastructure damage resulting from the explosion. The site of the blast is located approximately 1,000 meters from Bulgaria's Trans-Balkan gas pipeline compressor station and 200 meters from Romania's equivalent facility. Radev noted that the drone was not detected earlier in either country's airspace, highlighting challenges in drone detection and identification. He also mentioned a delay in the delivery of high-precision radars to the Bulgarian army. In response, security measures for strategic sites in Bulgaria and surveillance along the Bulgaria-Romania border will be increased. An examination of the explosion site and drone remains is underway to determine the exact type of drone.