OMM Newsroom
Bulgaria has confirmed that a US Navy aircraft is operating over the Black Sea following drone attacks on merchant vessels in the region, Anadolu Agency reported, citing Bulgarian news agency BTA.
Prime Minister Rumen Radev told reporters on Tuesday that the “Boeing P-8A Poseidon” maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft was carrying out missions to detect potential threats. He said NATO allies had responded swiftly to Bulgaria’s request for assistance.
Radev said Bulgaria had fully mobilized its surveillance, reconnaissance, detection and response capabilities, and expected further assistance from NATO allies.
Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov said the aircraft belonged to NATO and should not be associated with any particular country. He said the Poseidon had no strike capability and would continue its missions for as long as necessary.
“The decision for it to be here was taken jointly by Bulgaria and NATO,” Stoyanov said, adding that information collected during the missions was being shared with the alliance.
Bulgaria’s Defence Ministry had earlier confirmed that a US military aircraft conducted a patrol over the Black Sea as part of measures to strengthen vigilance.
Bulgaria requested air patrols and additional military capabilities from NATO allies last week, including missile systems, anti-drone systems and patrol aircraft.
Four vessels in Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone in the Black Sea have been attacked over the past month, with two sinking.
