Ivo Hristov: Government will not identify drones’ origin without evidence

The Bulgarian government will announce its conclusions on the origin of the drones when it has evidence from expert examinations, Deputy Prime Minister Ivo Hristov said on 7 November 2026 on BNT’s programme “The Day Begins with Georgi Lyubenov”. “We will certainly not hide the truth about the attacks,” he said.

The statement was reported by 24 Chasa, Darik and Paragraf. This is a developing story and further information may be added.

The five ships attacked

Hristov said drones had attacked five ships in Bulgaria’s economic and contiguous zones in the Black Sea. Flank has recorded five such attacks since the beginning of October:

• 6 October: Alfa Watan sank and the bulk carrier Able was set on fire in an aerial and naval drone attack in Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone;
• 13 October: HS Dignity sank after a drone strike off Shabla, and Chelsea-3 was hit by drones off Byala;
• 28 October: the container ship CONTSHIP JET was struck by three naval drones about 17 nautical miles east of Cape Kaliakra. Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov confirmed the attack, and all 18 crew were rescued.

According to Hristov, the most recent ship was hit by a naval drone that even the French authorities could not identify. The most recent recorded attack in the zone is the one on CONTSHIP JET. The deputy prime minister also said the strikes had stopped after the elections.

The maritime zones Hristov referred to are not the same as Bulgaria’s territorial sea, which matters for the legal assessment of each case.

Expert examinations have yet to establish the drone’s origin

The term “naval drone” does not specify whether the craft operated on or below the surface, how it was controlled or what payload it carried. Its origin, model, operator and launch location have not been publicly established, and no technical conclusions have yet been presented.

When assessing future expert findings, it is important to distinguish between the origin of the components, the assembly location and evidence of who used the particular craft. Identifying a model or manufacturer is not, in itself, sufficient to establish who was behind the attack. Crew accounts and surveillance data would also be important in establishing such a link.

In the same interview, Hristov warned of a risk of being drawn into a military conflict through unproven accusations. This is the deputy prime minister’s political assessment, not an established consequence of naming a responsible party. The credibility of the government’s future position will depend on the evidence presented and on how clearly the limitations of the expert examinations are set out.