As the conflict in Ukraine becomes a war of attrition, the armies on the battlefield are also becoming desperate for weapons. Right now, additional aid from the US is being held up in Congress , while EU efforts to support Kyiv are being hampered by vetoes from the pro-Russian prime ministers of Slovakia and Hungary.
Therefore, the need for supplies from European allies has become even more urgent. Bulgaria – a NATO and EU member state – is currently exporting weapons to Ukraine. According to Bulgarian Economy Minister Bogdan Bogdanov, the country's defense exports are not hampered by any restrictions.
In a recent interview on local television, Bogdanov stated that Bulgaria's military production, including both state-owned and private defense industries, has seen output double recently.
“Both state-owned and private defense facilities are operating at maximum capacity. We have managed to double production within a year,” Bogdanov explained.
Reaffirming the crucial role of the defense industry, the Bulgarian minister pointed out that the sector provides employment for more than 70,000 workers domestically, and the Eastern European nation of 6.7 million people is committed to maintaining its current growth momentum.
It's no longer a taboo.
Bulgaria was one of the first countries in Eastern Europe to be approached shortly after the outbreak of military conflict in Ukraine for a supply of Soviet-era MiG-29 fighter jets.
However, no such agreement has been finalized because NATO and its Bulgarian allies acknowledge the crucial role of these fighter jets in protecting Bulgaria's national security and NATO's borders.
The continuous parliamentary elections over the past two years in Bulgaria, which failed to form a government, have disrupted Sofia's arms exports, particularly to Ukraine.
Although Bulgaria has not publicly acknowledged exporting weapons to Ukraine, there is evidence linking its products to the presence of these items on the Ukrainian front lines.
Ammunition supplies manufactured in Bulgaria have been secretly flowing into Ukraine since April 2022, shortly after the Russia-Ukraine conflict broke out. Photo: VOA
It wasn't until images emerged of Ukrainian soldiers wielding anti-tank grenade launchers manufactured in Bulgaria that the situation was confirmed. But in 2022, Bulgaria's arms exports increased by 200%, with almost all of the production being exported through intermediaries to Ukraine.
Other Bulgarian products such as anti-personnel and anti-tank mines, grenade launchers, optical sights, and target indicators have also been used by Ukrainian forces.
One of Bulgaria's recent shipments being prepared for Ukraine includes 5B55P (K) missiles, components of the S-300 missile defense system used in Ukrainian air defense systems.
The export of weapons to Ukraine through intermediaries was a result of the confrontational stance of Bulgarian President Rumen Radev – who is considered to have pro-Russian views. Now, with a more pro-Western government running the Eastern European nation, Sofia's transfer of weapons to Kyiv is no longer taboo.
Tools that bring victory
Bulgaria's vast Soviet-era arms stockpiles and extensive defense industry are believed to be tools that could bring victory to Ukraine, the Ukrainian newspaper Kyiv Independent concluded following a recent exclusive interview with Bulgarian Defense Minister Todor Tagarev.
According to Tagarev, Bulgaria's provision of aid to Ukraine is both a "moral obligation" and beneficial in maintaining stability in the Eastern Black Sea region of Europe.
During his first public visit to Bulgaria in early July, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky criticized Bulgarian President Radev for his stance against arming Ukraine amid what he called a “conflict.”
In response, Radev told reporters that Kyiv was “determined to pursue the war” while “Europe would pay the full cost of the war.”
Director of the Ukrainian Military Intelligence Agency (GUR) Kyrylo Budanov meets with Bulgarian Defense Minister Todor Tagarev during his visit to Bulgaria on August 8, 2023. Photo: Ukrainska Pravda
Radev's comments immediately drew criticism from the Ukrainian embassy in Sofia. Bulgarian Prime Minister Nikolay Denkov also expressed his disapproval, arguing that these comments did not reflect the views of the EU and NATO – both organizations of which Bulgaria is a member.
Mr. Tagarev reiterated that the Bulgarian president's controversial comments would not affect Sofia's support for Kyiv, as Bulgaria operates as a parliamentary republic, implying that the government is responsible for defense, security, and foreign policy matters, not the president.
"The ball is in our court – the cabinet's court, and it's noteworthy that the cabinet's views differ significantly from those of the President," the Bulgarian Defense Minister emphasized.
The official added that, in fact, the Bulgarian government did not consult President Radev about the military aid they sent to Ukraine .
Minh Duc (According to Bulgarian Military, Kyiv Independent)
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![[Photo] Bulgarian President Rumen Radev and his wife lay a wreath in commemoration of President Ho Chi Minh.](https://vphoto.vietnam.vn/thumb/402x226/vietnam/resource/IMAGE/2025/1/20/f48a43d70e8442e78d265003225a9a59)
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