Bulgaria to send ammunition to Ukraine

By Mustafa Taha Ozturk

BELGRADE, Serbia (AA) - The Bulgarian government announced on Monday that it would provide Ukraine with a second wave of arms aid.

The decision for a second shipment was made on June 23, after the first batch of a tranche of military aid for Ukraine was approved by the parliament back on Dec. 9, 2022. The government’s press center said that the supply of weapons would not adversely affect Bulgaria’s defense power and capacity.

The second shipment will be similar to the first shipment, which occurred on Dec. 22, 2022.

However, the types of weapons are not announced. According to a report by the Bulgarian media, among the ammunition will be the Soviet types that have remained in storage for more than 30 years.

Defense Minister Todor Tagarev said there is still usable ammunition produced 30 years ago in the armed forces’ ammunition depots. If they are not supplied, they will have to be destroyed.

Bulgaria will soon be included in countries agreeing to provide 1 million artillery rounds to Ukraine, said Tagarev.

The opposition pro-Russian Bulgarian Socialist Party and the populist racist Revival party prevented the transport of weapons to Ukraine until the parliament’s decision on Dec. 9, 2022.

President Rumen Radev argued that sending weapons to Ukraine would only prolong the conflict.