Key facts
- Five commercial vessels were hit in Bulgarian and Romanian waters, killing at least four people.
- NATO is considering redeploying anti-drone defenses to the Black Sea region.
- Bulgaria, Romania, and Turkey are cooperating on an initiative to safeguard freedom of navigation.
- Ukraine's grain exports, accounting for 95% of its total, are disrupted by the attacks.
- Attribution of strikes remains difficult, with Bulgarian investigators not yet proving Russian involvement.
NATO is considering moving anti-drone defenses to the Black Sea region following requests from Bulgaria, Romania, and Turkey after drone attacks hit commercial vessels in NATO waters. Five commercial ships were struck in Bulgarian and Romanian waters in the past week, resulting in at least four deaths and several missing sailors.
Bulgaria, Romania, and Turkey are cooperating on an initiative to safeguard freedom of navigation in the Black Sea, which Bulgaria's prime minister plans to present to the European Union. The attacks are disrupting Ukraine's grain exports, which account for about 95% of its total, with some cargo rerouted overland or via the River Danube.
Attribution of the strikes remains difficult, with Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev stating that investigators have not yet proven Russia's involvement. Both Ukraine and Russia have been using naval drones in the conflict.