After seven strikes on cargo ships near NATO members Romania and Bulgaria last month, the US-led military alliance said it would deploy maritime patrol aircraft, radars and drones to bolster its eastern
After seven strikes on cargo ships near NATO members Romania and Bulgaria last month, the US-led military alliance said it would deploy maritime patrol aircraft, radars and drones to bolster its eastern flank in the Black Sea.
Three days later, on October 23, another ship was struck just outside Romanian waters. And last week a Greek container ship was sunk by naval drones in Bulgaria's exclusive economic zone.
Unabating attacks show how the escalating maritime war between Russia and Ukraine is expanding into a major challenge for NATO in the Black Sea that has left littoral member states such as Romania and Bulgaria exposed.
Military analysts said they had little doubt that these were Russian attacks. A naval drone seen on video of the last strike resembled a Russian variant, according to shipping security firm Ambrey.
"I think it's undeniably an escalation," said Sidharth Kaushal, a senior fellow at the London-based RUSI think-tank.
Russia denies targeting Ukraine's neighbours with drones and says that European governments are the ones escalating the war in Ukraine by supplying military aid. Russia's defence ministry did not respond to a request for comment for this article.
Analyst Says Russia Is Testing Red Lines
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