Bulgaria has summoned Ukraine's ambassador for explanations after a drone crashed and exploded on its territory near a compressor station of the Trans-Balkan gas pipeline close to the Romanian border. Bulgarian authorities suspect the drone may have belonged to Ukraine, reports infohub.kz.
According to the Bulgarian National Television (BNT), a meeting between Bulgaria's Foreign Minister and Ukraine's Ambassador Olesia Ilashchuk is scheduled for Monday, August 10.
According to the country's authorities, the drone entered Bulgarian airspace from Romania and then exploded about a kilometer from the compressor station of the Trans-Balkan gas pipeline. The facility is located near the former border checkpoint "Kardam".
Bulgaria's Defense Ministry suggested that it could be a Ukrainian decoy drone "Maya". However, the authorities do not believe the drone was intentionally directed at Bulgarian territory.
What Ukraine said
Ukraine's Foreign Ministry stated that Ukrainian military did not intentionally direct any drones toward Bulgaria.
"The Defense Forces of Ukraine did not intentionally direct any means toward Bulgaria," said Heorhiy Tykhyi, official spokesman for the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry.
Kyiv also expressed readiness to cooperate with Sofia to clarify all circumstances if it is confirmed that the fallen drone indeed belonged to Ukraine.
Bulgaria to strengthen protection of strategic sites
After the drone incident, Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev convened an emergency meeting of the Security Council.
According to him, the drone was not detected in a timely manner by radar control in either Romania or Bulgaria. Radev said the incident once again demonstrated the need to enhance capabilities for detecting low-flying targets.
Bulgarian authorities intend to strengthen the protection of strategic sites and redeploy forces to counter drones.
In June 2026, Bulgaria ceased providing military aid to Ukraine. The country's authorities explained this decision as support for diplomatic efforts to end the Russian-Ukrainian war.