Podcast in English
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Rescuing the two Bulgarian ships from Ukraine is risky, says Prime Minister Kiril Petkov

17 Bulgarian crew are stranded on the bulk carrier Tsarevna in Mariupol.
Photo: Archive

The crews of the two Bulgarian ships stranded in Ukraine have food. It is safer for them to stay put because both ports of Odessa and Mariupol have been mined, Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov wrote on Facebook.

It is unacceptable to make political PR at the expense of people in distress, the prime minister wrote, commenting on the protest of wives of The Tsarevna bulk carrier sailors in Varna. The women demanded an emergency evacuation for their husbands at a press conference organized by an opposition party.

The government is in constant contact with the two ships and their crews. There are other countries with ships in Ukraine that are also waiting to see if a risk-free withdrawal can be secured.

Evacuating the crew from Mariupol by land is also very dangerous as there is a huge risk of shelling, the Prime Minister added.




Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Bulgaria expresses support for Lithuania following Russian incursion

"Bulgaria expresses strong solidarity with Lithuania following Russia's repeated violations of European airspace, a clear example of deliberate breaches of international law and the territorial integrity of our allies and partners," the Bulgarian..

published on 10/24/25 5:32 PM
Sofia University

Over 63% of Ukrainian students in Bulgaria are ethnic Bulgarians

In the 2024/2025 academic year, 2,104 students from Ukraine were studying at Bulgarian universities , according to the Ministry of Education. Of these, 1,750 were pursuing bachelor’s degrees, 304 were in master’s programmes, and 50 were enrolled in..

published on 10/24/25 5:22 PM
Dan Jørgensen

EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen to visit Bulgaria

European Commissioner for Energy Dan Jørgensen will visit Bulgaria on 28 October, just days after US President Donald Trump imposed sanctions on Russian oil giants Lukoil and Rosneft over Russia’s ongoing aggression in Ukraine, BNR correspondent..

published on 10/24/25 5:08 PM