Ukraine denies targeting Bulgaria with UAVs.
Following the drone crash in Bulgaria near a strategic gas pipeline, Ukraine immediately denied any suspicion of a deliberate attack. The incident occurred amidst complex regional security developments and tensions in the Black Sea, prompting cautious diplomatic responses from the countries involved.
According to AFP, Ukraine officially rejected accusations of targeting Bulgaria after a drone exploded near a strategic gas pipeline close to the Romanian border. This incident occurred at the same time that President Volodymyr Zelensky was speaking to reporters in Belgrade during a historic visit to Serbia.
President Zelensky stated that Ukraine now has virtually no intact thermal power plants ahead of winter. He asserted that this is a consequence of the continuous airstrikes from Russia aimed at making life unbearable for the Ukrainian people.
On the part of local authorities, the Bulgarian Ministry of Defense confirmed that the explosive-laden UAV that crashed in the border area belonged to a type widely used by the Ukrainian military. However, after conducting a preliminary analysis of the debris, the agency emphasized that there is currently no indication that this was a deliberate incident.
Kyiv firmly maintains that it did not target its neighbor. Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Georgiy Tykhyi stated that both sides are maintaining close contact to clarify the circumstances of the incident. He also asserted definitively that the Ukrainian Armed Forces did not intentionally direct any military equipment toward Bulgarian territory.
Despite statements from Kyiv, the Bulgarian Foreign Minister's office told AFP that the Ukrainian ambassador had been summoned on August 8th. Assistants said a formal meeting between the two sides would take place on August 10th. The summoning of the ambassador demonstrates the Sofia authorities' caution regarding security risks to critical energy infrastructure.
