Ukraine has refuted claims of targeting Bulgaria after a drone entered Bulgarian airspace and exploded near an international gas pipeline. The incident occurred shortly after the drone crossed the border from Romania. There were no casualties or damage reported.
The Bulgarian defense ministry, located in Sofia, indicated that the drone resembled those used by Ukrainian armed forces. Officials suggested the incident was likely accidental. Both Bulgaria and Romania are NATO and European Union members.
A spokesperson from Ukraine’s foreign ministry stated that the Ukrainian military is investigating the incident. They emphasized that Ukraine did not intentionally target Bulgaria. According to Heorhii Tykhyi, Ukraine and Bulgaria are in close contact to understand the situation better.
Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev reported that the drone exploded shortly after 5 a.m., approximately 109 yards inside Bulgarian territory. It went undetected while traversing Romanian and Bulgarian airspace. The explosion occurred around 218 yards from a Romanian compressor station and about 0.6 miles from Bulgaria’s station along the Trans-Balkan pipeline.
Radev announced that authorities will increase monitoring and enhance surveillance in the area. He also mentioned the redeployment of border police anti-drone detection and countermeasure capabilities from Turkey’s border to Romania’s.
The drone carried substantial explosives, given the blast’s strength and the black smoke column, explained Stoyanov. He noted that small size and low altitude make such drones challenging to detect.
There have been multiple drone incursions into NATO airspace since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. In June, NATO fighter jets downed a drone in Latvia’s airspace. Estonia and Lithuania, both bordering Russia, also reported drone crashes. Moldova and Romania, neighbors to Ukraine, have experienced similar incidents. Officials attribute these incursions to Russian electronic warfare.