Crowds gathered outside the Russian Embassy in Sofia on October 29, 2026, demanding the expulsion of Ambassador Eleonora Mitrofanova following a series of drone attacks on commercial vessels in Bulgaria’s Black Sea exclusive economic zone and alleged sabotage against critical infrastructure.
Demonstrators blocked traffic on Nikolai Mirchev Street in Sofia, unfurling a large Bulgarian flag and projecting protest slogans onto the embassy facade using 3D mapping technology. Organized by the civil association BOEC under the slogan Stop Russian aggression! Mitrofanova out!
, the protest targeted what organizers describe as government inaction and silence regarding mounting security threats.
Protesters Issue Ultimatum Over Black Sea Attacks
The demonstration was catalyzed by escalating maritime incidents, culminating in an attack on the Liberian-flagged container ship Contship Jet, which was reportedly struck by three sea drones. Organizers noted this represented the fifth commercial vessel targeted in Bulgarian waters since the beginning of October.
During the gathering, protesters emptied several fragments of what they identified as Russian drone wreckage onto the roadway, claiming the debris was recovered from the Arapya coastal region near Tsarevo. BOEC leaders announced that the association had formally filed a civil notice at the embassy declaring Ambassador Mitrofanova persona non grata
and demanding her official recall within 72 hours. Georgi Georgiev, the chairman of BOEC, argued that the Russian ambassador should have been summoned to receive an official diplomatic note over these attacks, noting that activists had previously attempted to deliver a symbolic document to the diplomatic mission themselves. When a service vehicle arrived at the entrance and personnel declined to accept the paperwork, demonstrators physically tossed it into the building courtyard. Georgiev asserted that the state must formally attribute the actions to Russia, which would require issuing a verbal note to the embassy and demanding Mitrofanova’s expulsion as persona non grata.
Alex Dimov told BNT News, Go look at Arapya. Near Tsarevo – the coastline is full of parts from Russian drones. Those are from Arapya, yes.
Demonstrators Condemn Official Silence
Protest organizers leveled sharp criticism at domestic authorities, accusing government leaders of failing to explicitly name Moscow as the aggressor behind the maritime strikes and infrastructure incidents. In addition to the Black Sea shipping incidents, demonstrators referenced explosions at military warehouses and alleged sabotage targeting Starlink digital infrastructure near Sofia.
According to Club ‘Z’, the association stated, Radev is silent, the services are silent, Yotova is silent.
The organization also leveled accusations against those in power regarding dependencies on Russia and insufficient support for Ukraine.
BOEC representatives recalled an earlier symbolic action when activists attempted to deliver a protest document directly to the diplomatic mission, only for a diplomatic vehicle to arrive and embassy staff to decline receipt, prompting protesters to toss the paperwork into the compound courtyard.
Yes, this outrage with the government's inaction must stop, along with the lies that Radev puts forward every day, and the inaction regarding the drones in the Black Sea. Rumen
BOEC Leadership Warns Civil Protests Will Persist
BOEC leadership asserted that civil protests will persist beyond the electoral cycle until authorities provide transparency regarding attacks on critical transport and communications infrastructure.