NATO considers deploying counter-drone systems to the Black Sea region — Ars Technica
NATO is considering moving existing counter-drone systems to the Black Sea region following attacks on merchant vessels near Bulgaria and Romania. Bulgaria, Romania and Türkiye have submitted such requests to the Alliance, Ars Technica reports, citing diplomats.
On October 13, drone attacks near the Bulgarian coast sank the Guinea-Bissau-flagged cargo vessel Dignity and forced the evacuation of the crew of another vessel, the Malta-flagged Chelsea 3, which is Ukrainian-owned. Bulgarian rescuers evacuated all 15 crew members of Chelsea 3, which reportedly was struck by three aerial drones.
Search for Dignity sailors
Following the attack, Dignity sank. Rescuers initially saved five sailors, while another 11 crew members are being sought. Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev told the Russian ambassador, representing the aggressor state, in Sofia that Ukraine has no reason to destroy its own vessels in the Black Sea and that the consequences of the strikes serve Russia's interests. At the same time, there is no conclusive evidence that the drones were of Russian origin.
On October 6, aerial and maritime drones sank the Togo-flagged cargo vessel Alfa Watan and caused a fire aboard the Palau-flagged vessel Able about 128 kilometers off the Bulgarian coast. All 18 Able crew members were rescued, with two hospitalized. Ten Alfa Watan sailors are presumed dead after unsuccessful search efforts.
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Joint response by regional countries
The first in this series of incidents was the Turkish cargo vessel Royad Mammadov: on October 5, it was attacked by drones and later sank off the coast of Romania. All 11 sailors were rescued.
On October 14, Bulgarian Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov told parliament that the country would join NATO's Drone Edge initiative. According to The Sofia Globe, it provides for combined commitments by participating countries totaling $40 billion to develop counter-drone capabilities over the next five years. Bulgaria, Romania and Türkiye are also cooperating on an initiative to protect freedom of navigation in the Black Sea, which Rumen Radev plans to present to the European Union.
According to the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, since autumn 2023 Ukrainian vessels have mostly used routes through the territorial waters of Romania, Bulgaria or Türkiye. New suspected Russian attacks are complicating the transport of Ukraine's harvest to other European countries, with some cargo rerouted by land or via the Danube.
