Bulgarian ruling party points to Russia over Black Sea ship strikes, lacks proof

The parliamentary leader of Bulgaria's ruling Progressive Bulgaria party, Petar Vitanov, said Russia was the likely culprit behind drone strikes on two merchant ships in Bulgaria's exclusive economic zone. Logic points to Russia, he told bTV on Sunday evening, according to the BTA news agency, but when speaking on behalf of the state "we cannot afford to rely on assumptions." There is still no irrefutable evidence, he said.

Investigators are looking mainly for debris from aerial or underwater drones, working with Romanian, Turkish and NATO services. Vitanov said more than 460 ships had been hit in the Black Sea since the start of the year, by both Russia and Ukraine. He said the strikes, which occurred outside Bulgarian territorial waters, did not amount to an attack on Bulgaria itself.

Vitanov also cast doubt on the sunken vessel's cargo. It had declared sea salt from Egypt to Romania, but the voyage took 15 days instead of the usual five, suggesting overloading or different freight. He defended the decision not to seek NATO Article 4 consultations, saying overuse would devalue the instrument.