EU condemns drone attacks that sink two ships in NATO waters

The European Union has condemned a series of drone attacks that resulted in the sinking of two cargo vessels and the severe damage of a third within the exclusive economic zones of NATO member states. These incidents, which have killed at least two sailors, mark a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict surrounding the Black Sea. The attacks have raised serious concerns regarding maritime security and the expanding scope of hybrid warfare tactics attributed to Russia across Europe.

According to reports from the Associated Press, the Togo-flagged cargo ship Alfa Watan sank after being struck by multiple sea and aerial drones. Simultaneously, the Palau-flagged vessel Able was set ablaze during the same incident, which occurred approximately 80 miles off the coast of Bulgaria on October 6. Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev described the events as an unacceptable violation of international and maritime law within Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone. While the fate of the Alfa Watan crew was initially unknown, a Bulgarian ferry successfully evacuated the 18 crew members of the Able. Two mariners sustained severe injuries and were transported by air to a hospital in Varna.

These incidents followed a similar attack on October 5, in which the Turkish-owned cargo ship Royad Mammadov was struck within Romania’s exclusive economic zone. The vessel caught fire and subsequently sank, resulting in the deaths of two crew members. Eleven crew members were rescued by Romanian ships and helicopters, while one remains missing. Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, stated on social media that the strikes were increasingly concerning. She emphasised that the specific circumstances were still being established but affirmed the EU’s full solidarity with member states on the eastern flank, declaring that attacks on civilian shipping are unacceptable.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy offered a different perspective, stating that a joint investigation with the Bulgarian navy indicated the strikes were a combined Russian attack using both sea and aerial drones. Zelenskyy clarified that Ukrainian military forces were not conducting operations in that specific area of the Black Sea. He condemned the strikes as horrific attacks on civilian vessels in neutral waters and called for international pressure to restore global food security. Zelenskyy also noted that India has been engaging in discussions with both Ukraine and Russia regarding the safeguarding of shipping in the region.

The cargo ships were transporting agricultural products at the time of the attacks. The Able was carrying wheat and sailing south, while the Alfa Watan was heading north with an unknown cargo. The Royad Mammadov had been loaded with corn at the Ukrainian port of Ismail. The attacks highlight the widening consequences of the war that escalated with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Despite lacking a traditional navy, Ukraine has challenged Russian naval control by deploying aerial drones and drone boats against Russian warships and ports. Conversely, Russia has increased the use of its own drones to target Ukrainian ships, ports, and international commercial vessels.

These maritime incidents coincide with a growing number of hybrid warfare events attributed to Russia across NATO countries. In August, Romanian military divers destroyed two Russian-made drones near the Neptun Deep gas project, and later scrambled fighter jets to disable a Russian drone boat near the same platform. Germany has accused Russia of organising an attempted explosive drone attack on Ukrainian cargo aircraft at Leipzig Airport, while Estonia has linked Russian special services to an arson attack on the company Milrem Robotics. Poland is investigating a fire at a state-owned satellite station as an act of sabotage. As NATO nations continue to rearm and adapt to drone-dominated warfare, the alliance faces the challenge of agreeing on a strategy to deter sabotage and provocative incidents from a nuclear-armed adversary.