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🇦🇺 Australia /Energy & Infrastructure

Ukraine Denies Targeting Bulgaria After Drone Explodes Near Gas Pipeline

From ABC Australia · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • Ukraine has denied intentionally targeting Bulgaria after a drone carrying explosives detonated near a gas pipeline.
  • Bulgarian officials stated the drone was likely a Ukrainian decoy model but currently see no evidence of a deliberate attack.
  • The incident occurred near the Trans-Balkan gas pipeline, which connects Turkey to Ukraine, with no casualties or infrastructure damage reported.

Ukraine has denied any intentional targeting of Bulgaria following the detonation of a drone near the strategic Trans-Balkan gas pipeline. The incident occurred near the Romanian border, close to the village of Kardam in northeastern Bulgaria.

One thing is certain: the drone was carrying a significant amount of explosives, given that it could be heard from a distance and produced such black smoke.

— Rumen RadevDescribing the drone's detonation near the gas pipeline.

Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev stated that the drone entered Bulgarian airspace from Romania at 8:10 a.m. local time on Saturday. He reported that it exploded approximately 1 kilometer from the pipeline's compressor station. Border police in Romania recorded the drone's sound, and a Bulgarian patrol later observed a loud explosion accompanied by black smoke. Radev noted the drone carried a significant amount of explosives.

Currently, nothing suggests that this was a deliberate incident.

— Bulgaria's Defence MinistryCommenting on the initial analysis of the drone incident.

While Radev initially did not specify the drone's origin, Bulgaria's Defence Ministry later suggested it was most likely a Maya decoy drone, commonly used by Ukrainian forces. However, the ministry added that "currently, nothing suggests that this was a deliberate incident." Kyiv has stated it is in close contact with Bulgarian authorities to clarify the circumstances, emphasizing that the Ukrainian Armed Forces did not intentionally direct any assets toward Bulgaria. Ukraine's Foreign Ministry spokesman Georgiy Tykhyi blamed Russia's invasion for the incident.

We can say with certainty that the Ukrainian Armed Forces did not intentionally direct any assets toward Bulgaria.

— Georgiy TykhyiUkraine's Foreign Ministry spokesman, denying intentional targeting.

The drone ultimately crashed into a sunflower field, causing no casualties or damage to infrastructure. Radev assured that security at strategic sites and along the Bulgaria-Romania border would be increased, acknowledging the challenge of identifying and neutralizing such drones. Drone incursions linked to the Russia-Ukraine war have become more frequent, raising concerns within NATO about bolstering defenses. Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has called on both Russia and Ukraine to declare a moratorium on Black Sea attacks.

As you know, identifying and neutralising these drones poses a major challenge.

— Rumen RadevHighlighting the difficulty of dealing with drone incursions.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Australia in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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