Bulgarian defense ministry links gas pipeline drone explosion to Ukraine

Bulgarian defense authorities reported that an unmanned aerial vehicle that detonated near a Trans-Balkan gas pipeline compressor station was likely a Ukrainian decoy drone. The aircraft entered Bulgarian airspace via Romania prior to exploding. Officials in Sofia stated the incident caused no structural damage or casualties, framing it as an unintended intrusion. Ukrainian officials denied any deliberate actions targeting Bulgaria and confirmed a joint investigation with Bulgarian counterparts.

Concurrently, Russian military bombardments in eastern Ukraine resulted in at least three civilian fatalities and nine injuries, alongside widespread power outages affecting roughly 99,000 residents in Chernihiv Oblast. The United Nations reported that civilian casualties in Ukraine reached their highest monthly count in July since April 2022. Front-line locations such as Druzhkivka face severe depopulation under sustained shelling.

Sources: Investor.bg, Mediapool, NEXTA, Nova TV, Point