Most of the Bulgarian weapons exports go to Ukraine – Bulgarian Minister of Defense

16 January, 2024 Exhibition hall of the Bulgarian products of the VMZ Sopot company of the Soviet model. Photo credits: VMZ Sopot The bulk of weapons produced by Bulgaria's defense industry go to Ukraine.

Bulgarian Defense Minister Todor Tagarev stated this in an interview with Voice of America. He also discussed details on Bulgarian military aid for Ukraine. The Head of the Bulgarian Defence Ministry noted that the support packages include old Soviet-era systems and ammunition, which, despite their age, are in good working condition, and the Ukrainian military already knows how to use them without needing additional training.

"But the most important is the production of ammunition and small and light weapons in Bulgaria.

This is the field of production in which Bulgaria specialized back in Soviet times, and this specialization remains," he said.

According to Tagarev, the Bulgarian defense industry operates "almost 24/7," and the bulk of this production goes to Ukraine, "directly or through third parties." He said that the Bulgarian defense industry plans to continue the production of ammunition of Soviet standards, and also plans to launch additional production facilities for the manufacturing of NATO standard ammunition in the calibers of 155 and 105 millimeters. To do this, several Bulgarian companies have applied for investments under a special European Commission program, the "Act of Assistance to the Production of Ammunition" (ASAP), according to which the EU allocates funds to support investment projects to stimulate increased production of ammunition and missiles in the European Union.

"This new investment is already aimed almost at producing exclusively 155mm ammunition, which is a priority, but also at other types that are in demand," Tagarev shared.

Also, by the decision of the parliament, Bulgaria provided Ukraine with over 800 armored personnel carriers and conducted several training programs.

Those include a two-month language training for Ukrainian sailors within the NATO program in Varna and Sofia.

BTR-60PB-MD1 armored personnel carrier on parade in Bulgaria, 2006.

Photo by Kiril Kapustin

In addition, Bulgaria plans to start training one infantry company, but could also train several companies a year, and offered Ukraine combat medic training as well.

"Bulgaria also announced our desire to join the F-16 coalition, providing language training for pilots, engineering, and air traffic controllers, training for engineering and technical personnel, basic training for maintenance personnel, training for F-16, but with the exception of training on a certain platform that we do not have and which Ukraine expects," the Bulgarian Defense Minister added.

Illustration photo of ammunition.

Photo from open sources

Last fall, Bulgarian weapons magnate Emilian Gebrev, who survived two Russian murder attempts, said that the Russians were preparing to sabotage the enterprises of the Bulgarian military industry to disrupt the supply of weapons to Ukraine.