Bulgarian politician, ex-president and first to lead as both President and PM
A drone has exploded inside Bulgaria close to the Romanian border and about 1km from the Trans‑Balkan gas pipeline's compressor station. Bulgaria has reported no casualties; debris analysis and initial statements have not identified the drone's origin. Kyiv has denied intentionally directing assets at Bulgaria and said it is cooperating to clarify the incident.
Burgas will stage Eurovision 2027 from May 11–15, with semifinals on May 11 and 13 and the final on May 15. The decision follows Bulgaria’s first Eurovision win this year and a competitive bid process that selected Burgas over Sofia, Varna and Plovdiv. Arena Burgas will host the event, marking Bulgaria’s first hosting and the contest’s first seaside venue.
Interior Minister says no injuries have been reported after a blaze at a Bulgarian arms facility operated by EMCO; investigators link the incident to a series of past fires at defence plants and consider sabotage as a possibility. EMCO says the latest blaze followed a previous August incident and notes the facility had been inspected recently.
Bulgarian authorities have received the remains of Tsar Samuel in Sofia, marking a formal handover under a bilateral cultural accord with Greece. The ceremony includes state honours and a procession to Saint Sofia Church. Greece will receive artefacts taken from Greek monasteries during World War I as part of the agreement; both sides emphasise cultural heritage over historic grievance.
Bularia has reported that sea and aerial drones have attacked two merchant vessels 70–80 nautical miles off its eastern coast, sinking the Togolese‑flagged Alfa Watan and setting the Palau‑flagged Able on fire. Eighteen crew from the Able have been rescued, two are hospitalized; the fate of the Alfa Watan crew remains unknown. The strikes follow a separate grain‑ship fire off Romania a day earlier that Ukraine blamed on Russian drones.
Protests by high‑school students, supported by unions and the far‑left, have intensified across France. Authorities report thousands arrested and dozens injured as schools face closures and clashes with police. Ministers have announced targeted measures to plug gaps in education staffing, while warning against violence.
Ukraine mourns as Russia has launched a major assault of missiles and drones, striking multiple cities including Pryluky and Zaporizhzhia. Civilians are killed or wounded, and Ukraine seeks Patriot interceptors while EU sanctions broaden on Russia’s military-industrial complex. The attacks are continuing today.
A Liberian-flagged Aframax Rio has been attacked off Sochi, triggering a fire and the evacuation of 23 Indian crew. Sochi and Sirius have closed beaches; authorities report no confirmed oil contamination and monitoring shows no oil slicks as of now. Investigations link the tanker to sanctions-evading routes; firefighting is ongoing and the vessel is drifting along the coast.
Bulgarian authorities say no survivors have been found after drones struck two commercial vessels in the Black Sea, causing one ship to burn and another to sink. Ten crew were aboard the sunken Alfa Watan, with ten Syrians and one Egyptian among them. Search and rescue operations have halted, with authorities citing ongoing investigations.
Drone strikes near Bulgaria's coast have hit two commercial vessels, with one sinking and 11 crew missing. Bulgaria and NATO call for support while EU leaders condemn the attacks and call for accountability as the Black Sea becomes a new front in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
A Guinea-Bissau-flagged vessel, HS Dignity, has sunk off Bulgaria after an aerial drone and unmanned boats attacked two merchant ships in the Black Sea. Five crew members were rescued; search operations continue for 11 sailors. A second ship, Chelsea 3, was attacked nearby with all 15 crew rescued. Bulgarian officials say the strikes raise concerns amid ongoing Russia-Ukraine hostilities.
A Comoros-flagged tanker, Khoryv, has been struck by a drone about 13 nautical miles off Constanta and has capsized and sunk. Romanian authorities have rescued nine sailors, recovered one body and are searching for three missing crew. The strikes follow a wave of drone attacks on merchant ships near Romania and Bulgaria that has left scores dead or missing.
NATO has expanded its Black Sea posture with additional maritime patrol aircraft, radar, drones and intelligence personnel in response to a spate of drone and missile attacks on civilian shipping near Bulgaria and Romania. Allies say this increases sensors, data sharing and readiness in a region critical to grain exports from Ukraine.
A series of drone strikes near the Romania-Bulgaria maritime border has damaged multiple vessels, with Khoryv sinking near Constanta and Contship Jet attacked near Shabla. Rescue efforts continue as NATO strengthens eastern deterrence amid ongoing tensions stemming from Russia's aggression in Ukraine.
Bulgaria's presidential race is headed to a runoff after polling indicates incumbent Iliana Yotova leads with a narrow margin over Andrei Gyurov. Turnout is likely to remain well below the threshold, complicating the pro-Western government’s path forward as the country balances pressures at home and its European path.