Ukraine denies targeting Bulgaria after drone explodes near key gas pipeline

Ukraine on Saturday denied targeting Bulgaria after a drone exploded close to the Trans-Balkan gas pipeline, a strategic route linking Turkey to Ukraine near the Romanian border. Bulgaria’s defence ministry said the drone was of a type “widely used by the Ukrainian military.” In response, the foreign minister summoned the Ukrainian ambassador for a meeting on Monday, her office said. Kyiv said it was “in close contact with the Bulgarian side to clarify the circumstances” of the incident. The drone blast marks the latest in a series of security concerns around regional energy infrastructure.