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Two cargo ships sank and a third was damaged by drones in the exclusive economic zones of NATO countries, killing at least two sailors. The Togo-flagged Alfa Watan sank, while the Palau-flagged Able was set ablaze approximately 80 miles off Bulgaria’s coast on October 6. Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev called these incidents "an unacceptable attack" and a violation of international law. The crew of the Able were evacuated, with two sailors flown to a hospital in Varna after being injured.

These events follow a drone strike on the Turkish-owned ship Royad Mammadov in Romania’s zone on October 5. That vessel caught fire and sank, resulting in two deaths and one missing person. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that a joint investigation found the strikes were a "Russian combined attack using both sea and aerial drones." He emphasized that Ukraine was not conducting operations in that part of the Black Sea.

European Union President Ursula von der Leyen described the attacks as "increasingly concerning" but noted that circumstances are still being established without naming an attacker. She condemned the strikes on civilian shipping and expressed solidarity with NATO member states on the Eastern flank. Zelenskyy also highlighted that India is discussing proposals to safeguard Black Sea shipping, noting that three Indian citizens were aboard the Royad Mammadov when it was attacked.