Investigation of drone crash near gas pipeline on Bulgarian-Romanian border

Bulgaria needs new systems for detecting and neutralising drones, which should be procured as quickly as possible. Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov told BNT that this was necessary after a Ukrainian Maya-type decoy drone crashed on Saturday, August 8, near the village of Yovkovo in the municipality of General Toshevo, about 100 metres from the Bulgarian-Romanian border.

The site is in the immediate vicinity of a Romanian compressor station and around 1,000 metres from the Bulgarian compressor station of the Trans-Balkan gas pipeline.

The drone has a wooden structure, with the engine being its only metal component, the Defence Minister said. He added that Bulgaria was awaiting clarification from the Ukrainian side as to whether the drone had been launched from Ukrainian territory.

There is no evidence of deliberate action against Bulgaria, Chief of Defence Admiral Emil Eftimov said in Varna. According to him, the unmanned aerial vehicle was probably diverted by electronic warfare systems and subsequently flew outside the range of radar systems.

“I am extremely disappointed by the way this incident is being used for rather primitive political purposes. For me, the most important thing at this moment is the security of Bulgarian citizens, and I am counting on all institutions and political forces to join hands so that we can guarantee that security,” President Iliana Iotova said in Varna on Sunday, commenting on the drone incident.

Edited by Ivo Ivanov