Russia is the only power in the Black Sea that has the capacity and operational capabilities to strike with drones against two merchant ships in the Bulgarian exclusive economic zone. This was stated to the Bulgarian National Radio by the expert on international security and geopolitics Rumen Kanchev.
„The strike that sank the ship and damaged the other ship is a Russian job. There is no other power in the Black Sea area that has the capacity and operational capabilities to carry out such an operation“, said Kanchev.
The incident occurred about 70 nautical miles east of Byala. In the attack with sea and air drones, one ship sank and the other was damaged. The case was discussed at a meeting of the National Security Advisory Council, dedicated to the risks to Bulgaria's maritime security and critical infrastructure.
Kanchev's claim of a Russian attack has not been confirmed by Bulgarian institutions. After the meeting, Prime Minister Rumen Radev said that at this point Bulgaria has no reason to categorically point to Russia as the perpetrator. According to him, the debris from the drones must be examined to establish their origin. The European Maritime Safety Agency has offered to conduct a free examination of the remains of the sunken ship.
Criticism of the decisions after the CSNC
Kanchev described the final document of the meeting as too conclusive. According to him, it describes the growing number of high-tech combat and unmanned systems, as well as the danger to critical infrastructure, but does not propose specific actions to the executive branch.
“Instead of being conclusive, it should suggest decisions, and mainly to the executive branch“, said the expert. According to him, the document should have directed the Council of Ministers to develop a strategy and Bulgaria's participation in more initiatives of the European Union and NATO to strengthen security.
Kanchev also expressed disagreement with the emphasis on diplomacy. He stated that diplomatic actions are the final stage, which shapes already created realities in a conflict, and do not replace defense and protection measures.
Five “Patriot“ batteries for Bulgaria
According to Kanchev, Bulgaria must urgently build anti-missile and anti-air defense. He pointed out that the country does not have a single Patriot battery, while Romania has seven and Greece has about nine.
According to him, military experts consider it necessary to provide three batteries for the Land Forces and two for the Air Force. “One battery is still not enough, but it is still a first step”, Kanchev said.
The expert also said that the sunken ship can be examined by specialized naval vessels. According to him, the analysis of the wreckage could provide additional data on the drones used and the perpetrator of the attack.
Sources: bnrnews.bg