Russia's war reaches Bulgaria's shores, putting Radev's Moscow-friendly stance to the test

The Kyiv Independent · 16.10.2026, 18:53:16

The balancing act of Bulgaria's Moscow-friendly leader stands on shaky ground. Since taking office in May, Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev has taken a harsh line on Ukraine while adopting steps his critics say are accommodating to Moscow. Radev's course has now come under scrutiny as Bulgaria, a southeastern NATO member state, feels first-hand the spillover of Russia's war against Ukraine. Four merchant vessels were hit by drones near Bulgaria's Black Sea coast in October. Two of the ves