Bulgarian Parliament approves transfer of 100 armored personnel carriers to Ukraine

23 November, 2023 BTR-60PB-MD1 armored personnel carrier on parade in Bulgaria, 2006. Photo credits: wikipedia The Bulgarian parliament ratified an agreement between the Bulgarian Interior Ministry and the Ukrainian Defense Ministry on the transfer of 100 armored personnel carriers.

The armored personnel carriers will be transferred from the stocks of the Bulgarian police.

52 MPs from the coalition parties GERB-SDS, We Continue the Change - Democratic Bulgaria, the Movement for Rights and Freedoms, and the There Is Such a People party supported the decision. The socialists and representatives of the Revival party were against it. According to the agreement, Bulgaria will supply Ukraine with armored personnel carriers with existing weapons, along with spare parts for its maintenance, which are no longer needed by the Bulgarian Ministry of Internal Affairs.

BTR-60PB-MD1 armored personnel carrier on parade in Bulgaria.

2006. Photo by Kiril Kapustin

The vehicles to be transferred to Ukraine were purchased decades ago. At the same time, the Bulgarian Interior Ministry does not want to spend money on their storage and maintenance.

"Ukrainians will make sure that this equipment is useful to them," the Bulgarian MP said. In addition, the agreement between the ministries came after the Bulgarian parliament approved additional military and technical assistance for Ukraine in July 2023.

BTR-60PB-MD1 armored personnel carrier in Bulgaria. Photo from open sources

Besides, in September, the US Department of State approved the possible sale of Stryker armored vehicles to Bulgaria.

The deal involves the supply of 183 Stryker vehicles for various purposes to the Bulgarian Armed Forces.

Stryker armored personnel carrier during maintenance.

Photo credits: US Army

The Bulgarian government also plans to create a maintenance center for American Stryker armored vehicles.