Drone incident in Bulgaria: What do we know about the fallen "decoy"-type aircraft?

11.08.2026 | Foreign policy

Bulgaria has requested an explanation from Ukraine following the entry of a "decoy" drone into our airspace. We analyze the versions of the incident and the need for new anti-drone systems.

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Drone incident: Diplomatic inquiries and technical analysis

Bulgaria has requested official information from Ukraine regarding the drone incident that entered Bulgarian airspace on Saturday. Ukrainian Ambassador Olesya Ilashchuk was summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for a meeting with Velislava Petrova.

"Any unauthorized entry into Bulgarian airspace is unacceptable," Petrova emphasized during the meeting.

The Ukrainian side assured that the drone was not intentionally directed toward Bulgaria and expressed readiness for full cooperation in the investigation.

What is the "Maya" drone?

Minister of Defense Dimitar Stoyanov pointed to two main versions for the aircraft's entry: GPS signal interference or a technical problem with the control system.

The need for new anti-drone systems

Minister Stoyanov emphasized the urgent need to purchase modern systems for detecting and neutralizing UAVs. Through the "Security Assistance for Europe" (SAFE) instrument, plans are in place to acquire about 10 systems with an operational radius of 3 to 5 kilometers.