UAV event in Varna, Galata area, Bulgaria on Sat 22nd August 2026

The remains of two unmanned aerial  vehicles were found on Bulgaria's Black Sea coast on Saturday, with the first discovered on the  beach between Kranevo and the Albena resort complex and a second reported later near the Chernomorets chalet in Varna's Galata district.

Specialized Navy teams were dispatched to both locations to inspect and secure the remains. In the first case, servicemen from the Varna Naval Base examined the site between Kranevo and Albena and transported the recovered parts. According to information cited by Bulgarian National Radio from a Navy source, the remains had been identified as a Russian decoy drone without a warhead.

The first discovery was reported by a man walking along the beach. Border Police and Interior Ministry personnel were also seen at the scene. The regional governor of Dobrich confirmed that the remains of an unmanned aerial  vehicle had been found and said the competent authorities would determine their origin and decide how they should be removed and disposed of.

Later in the day, authorities received a second report concerning drone remains on the beach below the Chernomorets chalet in the Galata district of Varna. The Navy has not yet established what type of aircraft the remains belong to. A specialized military team is expected to examine the object and transport the recovered part.

The Navy has assured the public that there is no danger to the population.

There is currently no official confirmation that the two discoveries are connected. There is also no evidence that the second set of remains came from a Russian drone. Its origin and purpose therefore remain undetermined until military specialists complete their examination.

The incidents come amid a series of drone-related discoveries along Bulgaria's Black Sea coast in recent months. On August 13, Navy personnel examined an unmanned aerial vehicle that had washed ashore in Primorsko. The device was classified as a reconnaissance drone. Military teams also responded to a report concerning possible drone parts in the Lozenets area.

In June, the Navy destroyed a drifting drone found about seven nautical miles east of Kranevo after concerns were raised that it could still contain explosives. On June 29, another drone discovered east of Albena was also destroyed by a specialized team from the Varna Naval Base under safety procedures.

Another incident occurred on August 8 near Kardam, where an unmanned aerial vehicle fell. Chief of Defense Admiral Emil Eftimov identified the device as a Maya-type decoy drone and said there was no evidence of deliberate action against Bulgaria.

Eftimov said that increased surveillance measures had been introduced after a rise in interceptions of Shahed-type drones near the Romanian-Ukrainian border. At the end of July, Bulgaria responded by increasing monitoring and repositioning air defense and aviation assets.