Ukraine Rejects Claims of Aiming at Bulgaria After Mysterious Drone Blast Occurs Close to Key Pipeline

Ukraine's President Zelensky denied on Saturday that his country had targeted Bulgaria, following a drone explosion near the strategic Trans-Balkan gas pipeline that connects Turkey to Ukraine, close to the Romanian border.

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The Bulgarian defence ministry identified the drone as a type commonly used by the Ukrainian military, prompting the foreign minister to summon the Ukrainian ambassador for a meeting on Monday to discuss the incident.

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Kyiv is working closely with Bulgarian authorities to clarify the circumstances surrounding the incident, which marks the latest instance of a drone entering NATO airspace as Ukraine defends against Russia's invasion.

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According to Ukraine's foreign ministry spokesman Georgiy Tykhyi, the Ukrainian Armed Forces did not intentionally target Bulgaria, and instead blamed Russia's invasion for the incident.

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Although the explosion did not result in any casualties, Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev noted that the drone was carrying a significant amount of explosives.

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The drone exploded near the Kardam border-crossing with Romania, approximately 1,000 metres from the Trans-Balkan gas pipeline's compressor station, according to Rumen Radev, who released a video statement on the incident.

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Following an analysis of the debris, Bulgaria's defence ministry concluded that there is currently no evidence to suggest the incident was deliberate.

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The drone ultimately crashed into a sunflower field, as reported by Rumen Radev.

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Romanian border police recorded the sound of the drone, and a Bulgarian border police patrol witnessed a loud explosion accompanied by black smoke, as described by Rumen Radev after an extraordinary meeting of his cabinet's security council.

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Rumen Radev emphasized that the drone was carrying a substantial amount of explosives, given the loud noise and black smoke it produced, and acknowledged the challenges of detecting and neutralizing such drones.

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Incidents involving drones have become increasingly frequent in recent months across eastern European countries that are NATO members and supporters of Ukraine in its conflict with Russia.

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Since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Romania has experienced frequent drone incursions, including crashes on its territory, and recently ordered the expulsion of a Russian embassy staff member in late July.

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Bulgaria has strengthened its surveillance and will redeploy troops and soldiers to the borders to detect drones and employ anti-drone measures, according to Rumen Radev.

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Bulgaria, Romania, and Turkey, all of which border the Black Sea, have become an arena for drone combat between Ukraine and Russia.

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Turkish officials reported a drone attack on two civilian vessels in the Black Sea, which injured crew members, and expressed deep concern about the escalating conflict in the region.

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In June, Bulgaria halted its military aid to Ukraine, with Rumen Radev stating that his country does not belong in the coalition of Kyiv's allies supplying arms and instead prefers diplomatic efforts to end the war.

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A German military operational command spokesman reported that drones were detected above an army installation in western Germany, which houses a large underground depot, including parts for US-made Patriot air-defence systems.

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The sighting occurred days after an explosives-laden drone was found near a Ukrainian cargo plane at Leipzig-Halle airport, a key location for the transport of military goods by the German military and NATO allies.