On October 13, 2026, another drone attack was carried out against a commercial vessel linked to Ukraine—this time, approximately 20 nautical miles off the Bulgarian coast.
Drone attacks in the Black Sea have continued and intensified throughout October. The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has given rise to this pattern of reciprocal strikes, turning Black Sea trade routes into the scene of numerous incidents involving vessels—tragically resulting in loss of life, missing crew members, and the destruction or damage of both cargo and commercial ships. The team at the law firm of Veselina Kirilova, Petar Bonchovski & Co (www.vkbglaw.com) extends its condolences to the families of the deceased and missing sailors.
We have received an increasing number of inquiries regarding what measures can be taken to address the rising insurance premiums and freight rates for cargo transport across the Black Sea. In response, we note that the Joint War Committee (JWC) has officially designated the entire Black Sea region—excluding the territorial waters of Bulgaria, Romania, and Georgia—as a high-risk zone. Consequently, a security risk exists, and the Bulgarian state is directly affected by the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Even if attacks occur within Bulgaria’s Exclusive Economic Zone rather than its territorial waters—as defined by the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea—it cannot be said that the country’s economic interests remain unharmed, particularly when such attacks take place in areas where offshore resource exploration or active fishing operations are underway.
Compromised maritime security also directly impacts trade relations, the conclusion of commercial agreements, and the intent and execution of planned maritime cargo shipments. The resulting damages could likely be valued in the hundreds of thousands of euros, with lost profits potentially amounting to several times that figure.
Bulgarian commercial entities involved in shipping, servicing, and repairs are also directly affected by reduced vessel traffic, cancelled deals, and the region’s exclusion from established commercial supply routes.
While our advice is typically tailored to specific circumstances, in cases involving damages from such attacks, we always recommend that affected parties gather all available information and evidence regarding the incident, its consequences, and the value of the damages—including actual losses, subsequent and ongoing adverse effects, and lost profits. Although the prospects of securing compensation for damages from those responsible for the attacks do not currently look promising, we all ultimately hope that the conflict will soon end with a peace agreement. Peace treaties typically address provisions for reparations and compensation, and it is precisely through such mechanisms that damaged parties could seek compensation, while the states affected by the conflict could insist on including such provisions in the agreement.
This is also the moment for nearby coastal states—Bulgaria, Romania, and Georgia—to pool their efforts and resources, as well as the skills and expertise of their specialists and industry organizations, in order to coordinate joint actions for preventing and responding to such attacks in the future.
Photo credit: Ambrey official website: https://ambrey.com/operations/event/war-risk-physical-damage-19/
Author: Veselina Kirilova, Attorney-at-Law
