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Bulgaria’s Defense Ministry said on September 18 that drone wreckage was found on Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast and that a special military unit has been sent to the site to investigate and to dispose of ammunition that was attached to the debris.

On September 18, Bulgaria's Defense Ministry reported the discovery of drone wreckage on the Black Sea coast and sent a special military unit to investigate and dispose of attached ammunition. While the origin of the wreckage hasn't been confirmed, Defense Minister Todor Tagarev suggested a potential connection to Russia's war against Ukraine due to Bulgaria's proximity to the conflict. Details about the drone's origin and how it reached Bulgaria were not provided, as Tagarev only had preliminary information.

This marks the first time Bulgaria, a NATO member, has reported finding drone remnants on its territory. In earlier September, neighboring Romania also reported suspected drone elements on its territory following Russian drone attacks on Ukrainian ports near the border.

The wreckage was found on the Black Sea coast near the tourist resort of Tyulenovo, situated less than 30 kilometers south of the Romanian border. The Defense Ministry released two photos showing debris on sea rocks with attached ammunition.

The initial reports of suspected drone wreckage emerged on the evening of September 17 when a Facebook user named Radoslav Rusev posted photos and alerted emergency services. Local police received the report about the drone debris at 10 p.m. local time on September 17 and secured the area around the wreckage.

Bulgaria's Defense Ministry stated on September 18 that a specialized unit was sent to inspect the suspected drone wreckage and an object resembling explosive material attached to it. Later, the ministry confirmed the object to be an 82 mm mortar ammunition, which was safely destroyed in a controlled explosion.