Bulgaria's Foreign Ministry summoned the Ukrainian ambassador on Sunday following the explosion of an unidentified drone near a major gas pipeline. The Defense Ministry said an initial examination indicates the drone was likely a Ukrainian 'Maya' decoy drone. The incident follows the Bulgarian PM's statement Saturday that the drone entered from Romania.
Bulgaria escalated its diplomatic response to Saturday's drone incident near the Trans-Balkan gas pipeline, summoning the Ukrainian ambassador in Sofia on Sunday morning. The Bulgarian Foreign Ministry summoned the envoy over the unidentified drone that exploded near the pipeline on Saturday. The Defense Ministry added that an initial examination indicates the drone was likely a Ukrainian 'Maya' decoy drone, increasing the diplomatic stakes.
The incident unfolded over the course of Saturday. At 13:10 Jerusalem time, initial reports indicated that a drone had entered Bulgarian territory from Romania and exploded near the Trans-Balkan pipeline, which connects Ukraine and Turkey. The Bulgarian Prime Minister, Roman Radev, subsequently convened an emergency security council and ordered additional forces deployed along the border to detect and neutralize drones. In a later statement, Radev confirmed that the drone had entered from Romania and exploded near the pipeline, adding that no casualties or damage to infrastructure were reported. The account evolved from single-source Israeli media reports to official confirmation by the Bulgarian government.
The Trans-Balkan pipeline is a critical energy infrastructure link between Ukraine and Turkey. The incident occurs against the backdrop of ongoing drone warfare in the Ukraine-Russia conflict. As The Zioneer has reported, Ukrainian drones have struck Russian energy infrastructure, including gas stations in Donetsk (June 29) and a satellite communications center outside Moscow (June 23). The identification of the drone as a Ukrainian decoy model suggests a possible attempt to test or disrupt air defenses, though the exact intent remains unclear.
It remains unverified whether the drone was intentionally directed at the pipeline or was a stray munition. The Bulgarian investigation is ongoing, and further diplomatic steps may follow.
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