Two chemical tankers, the Wine Trader and the Yara J, caught fire in Romanian territorial waters in the Black Sea after being struck by drones. Romanian officials and a Nato military source confirmed that the drones were of Russian origin and had strayed into Romanian airspace.
Rescuers are searching for missing crew members, with reports indicating between seven and eight people are unaccounted for. Romania's president condemned the actions, stating that attacking commercial ships is unacceptable and must stop.
These strikes are the latest in a series of attacks on civilian vessels off the coasts of Romania and neighboring Bulgaria. These incidents are viewed as a suspected spillover from Russia's war in Ukraine, raising fears that the conflict is spreading.
The attacks have renewed scrutiny of Europe's ability to protect shipping and critical infrastructure in the Black Sea, more than a year after the EU launched a strategy to strengthen security in the region. NATO officials have announced that drone strikes in the Black Sea will be placed on the agenda for a meeting next week.