Bulgarian PM: Drone carrying significant explosives explodes near Romanian border

Published Aug 8, 11:16 AM UTC

A drone entered Bulgarian airspace on Saturday and exploded near the Romanian border, close to the Trans-Balkan gas pipeline that connects Turkey to Ukraine, according to Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev. The drone, which carried a 'significant' amount of explosives, crashed into a sunflower field near the Kardam border crossing, approximately 1,000 meters from the pipeline's compressor station. No casualties were reported. Radev stated that authorities do not yet know the drone's origin or type, but confirmed it was not a hobby drone but a larger model. The drone was not detected by either Bulgaria or Romania. The incident is part of a pattern of increasing drone incursions in Eastern European NATO countries supporting Ukraine in its conflict with Russia. Romania, which has faced frequent drone intrusions since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, recently expelled a Russian embassy staff member.