SOFIA: A Bulgarian navy team successfully defused an explosive drone, marking the first-ever discovery of such a device on Bulgarian territory. The incident unfolded in a Black Sea town, the country’s defense ministry confirmed.
Military specialists were promptly dispatched to the coastal town of Tyulenov after a hotelier reported the presence of a sizable drone-like object seemingly lodged in the coastal cliffs. Following a thorough inspection, it was revealed that an 82-mm mortar shell had been affixed to the remnants of the drone.
Due to the precarious state of the mortar, rendering it unsafe to move, the team opted for a controlled on-site explosion to neutralize the threat, as detailed in the ministry’s statement.
Bulgaria Fears Security Risk Due to Russian War in Ukraine
Defense Minister Todor Tagarev, while addressing journalists, stated, “We can certainly assume that it (the drone) is linked to the war that Russia launched against Ukraine.” He further emphasized that this ongoing conflict poses increasing security risks for Bulgaria.
Since the commencement of the war in February 2022, Bulgaria’s navy has already successfully defused four mines within its territorial waters. However, the discovery of an explosive drone in the country represents a novel and concerning development in the region’s security landscape.
