Overview
- Two merchant vessels were hit in the Black Sea off Bulgaria, one sinking after an attack that left five crew rescued and 11 missing while the Ukrainian‑owned Chelsea 3 had all 15 crew rescued.
- Bulgaria summoned Russia’s ambassador, asked NATO and the EU for assistance, and national leaders called for stronger surveillance and adjusted defence posture in the Black Sea region.
- President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Kyiv has ended a short, U.S.‑announced energy ceasefire and Ukraine resumed strikes on Russian oil facilities, and Russian officials reported a drone‑caused fire at the Rosneft Ryazan refinery.
- Both sides reported large drone and missile barrages that strained air defences, caused civilian casualties and power outages in Ukraine, and increased concerns after reported disruptions or limits to U.S. Starshield/Starlink support and intelligence sharing.
- Attacks on commercial shipping raise global risks for grain and fuel trade, investigators face technical and legal hurdles in proving attribution at sea, and NATO and EU leaders have vowed closer coordination and stepped‑up maritime surveillance.