Russian Drone Attacks Reported Near Black Sea Coasts of Bulgaria and Romania

Russian drones are suspected of sinking a cargo ship and igniting chemical tankers near the Black Sea coasts of Bulgaria and Romania. These incidents mark at least seven attacks on ships in the exclusive economic zones of NATO member countries, with potential confirmation of an attack within Romania's territorial waters regarding the chemical tankers. In response to these attacks, there have been calls for NATO to redeploy counter-drone systems for enhanced protection. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte announced on October 15 that the alliance has increased "counter-drone capabilities" along its eastern flank following discussions with leaders from Bulgaria and Romania. The recent attacks occurred within 24 hours between October 14 and October 15, when two chemical tankers were set ablaze after Russian drones were detected in Romanian airspace, as reported by Deutsche Welle. The vessels were anchored near the Sulina canal, which connects the Black Sea to the Danube River, a vital shipping route for Ukrainian exports, according to Reuters.