Drone crash near Bulgarian gas pipeline prompts joint inquiry with Ukraine

Bulgarian officials and Ukrainian authorities are investigating an incident involving an explosive-laden unmanned aerial vehicle that crashed near a strategic gas pipeline in northeastern Bulgaria, close to the Romanian border.

The Bulgarian Ministry of Defense identified the wreckage as a drone model commonly deployed by the Ukrainian military, while emphasizing that evidence does not indicate Bulgaria was deliberately targeted. Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Georgiy Tykhy affirmed that Kyiv is coordinating closely with Sofia to determine how the aircraft entered Bulgarian airspace, reiterating that Ukrainian forces had no intention of striking Bulgarian territory.

No casualties or damage to the energy infrastructure were reported following the explosion.

Sources: Le Monde, Le Soir, Libération.