Ukraine war briefing: Zelenskyy blames Russia for attack on Bulgarian vessels in Black Sea as investigation launched

Bulgarian authorities investigating origin of drone attack on two vessels in Nato member’s exclusive economic zone. What we know on day 1,687 Bulgaria’s prime minister said that two commercial vessels were struck by drones on Tuesday in the first attack on shipping in the Nato member’s exclusive economic zone in the Black Sea. Bulgarian authorities said the origin of the drones was under investigation, but Ukraine’s prime minister, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, blamed Russia for the drone strikes .

“This is an unacceptable attack in Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone. It is a blatant violation of international law and maritime law,” Rumen Radev said. Explosions rang out in Kyiv on Wednesday, news agencies reported, after the military warned a ballistic missile was heading toward the Ukrainian capital . Zelenskyy warned in his nightly address on Tuesday that Russia was planning a “massive strike”.

“Ukrainian services and our air force are ready to respond to the extent permitted by our available means of defence,” he said. Ukraine struck an oil tanker off the southern Russian coast on Tuesday evening , Russia’s transport ministry said. The ministry said the Liberian-flagged tanker had been attacked by “naval drones” and that “crude oil was burning openly in the waters of the Black Sea”, triggering a huge fire and black smoke cloud that blanketed parts of the resort city of Sochi.

Russian air defenses intercepted nearly 900 Ukrainian drones overnight on Monday into Tuesday over...

Read the original report at The Guardian.