Bulgaria to provide 7th package of military aid to Ukraine

4 December, 2024 Grenade launchers from the Bulgarian VMZ Sopot defense company. Source: www.gettyimages.com Bulgaria provides Ukraine with the 7th defense aid package with various weapons.

Bulgarian Defense Minister Atanas Zapryanov told Bulgarian National Radio that the list of weapons, equipment, and ammunition is confidential. The assistance is provided under an agreement dated late 2022, which also remained secret. Even then, the Ministry of Defense assured that the military aid would not in any way harm the capabilities of the Bulgarian army.

This is the seventh addition to the list of military aid to Ukraine this year.

Bulgarian Defense Minister Atanas Zapryanov. Photo credits: Press service of the Crimean Platform Expert Network

Since the beginning of Russia's invasion, Ukraine has provided Bulgaria with a list of needed weapons. The assistance packages include old Soviet-era systems and ammunition that, despite their age, are in good working order and that the Ukrainian military already knows how to use without the need for additional training.

Also, most of the weapons produced by Bulgaria's defense industry are now being sold and transferred to Ukraine. In particular, the Ukrainian Defense Forces received Bulgarian RTB-7LDMA thermobaric ammunition for RPG-7 grenade launchers.

A Ukrainian soldier with an RPG-7 grenade launcher fires an RTB-7LDMA thermobaric ammunition. August 2024, Ukraine.

Photo credits: "Khoryv" Battalion

Bulgaria's defense industry plans to continue producing Soviet-standard ammunition and plans to launch additional production facilities to produce NATO-standard ammunition in 155- and 105-millimeter calibers. Also, by a parliamentary decision, Bulgaria has provided Ukraine with armored personnel carriers and is conducting several training programs. In particular, Bulgaria has sent to Ukraine all the BTR-60 armored personnel carriers that were promised last year, which have been in the inventory of the Bulgarian Ministry of Internal Affairs since the 1980s.

BTR-60 of the Bulgarian Ministry of Emergency Situations that is being transferred to Ukraine.

February 2024.

Bulgaria.

Photo credits: Todor Tagarev

Among them is a two-month language training for Ukrainian sailors under the NATO program in Varna and Sofia.