Bulgaria will send Ukraine a military aid package for the first time since Russia's full-scale invasion. It will consist mainly of light weapons and ammunition. It is reported by Reuters.
So, on Friday, November 9, the Bulgarian parliament approved a list of weapons, which the country will transfer as military assistance to Ukraine. 148 lawmakers from the 240-seat parliament voted in favor of the aid, while the Socialists and the pro-Russian Revival party voted against it.
The indicated list of weapons is classified. According to government officials, Bulgaria will provide mainly light weapons and ammunition.
As Bulgaria's interim Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov noted, Bulgaria, as a member of NATO, cannot afford to send Ukraine its air defense systems or fighter jets MIG-19 and SU-25 as Ukraine wants.
"My approach was conservative because I need to ensure Bulgaria's defense capability. The assistance is fully consistent with Ukraine's priorities, but we do not send S-300 systems, as well as MIG-29 or SU-25 aircraft," Stoyanov told Nova TV on Friday.
The publication recalled that Bulgaria is one of the few EU countries that did not send assistance to Ukraine due to the blocking of the previous proposal (in May) by the Russian-friendly Socialist party.
Despite this, according to a report by the Bulgarian Industrial Association, in November, arms manufacturers in Bulgaria experienced a surge in exports. Also, back in August, the Bulgarian Ministry of Economy approved arms export deals worth more than USD 540 million, most of which were intended for Poland, one of the key centers for sending weapons to Ukraine.
As Ukrainian News Agency previously reported, in early November it became known that Bulgaria would begin to supply Ukraine with weapons and other military assistance. The parliamentary committees on defense and foreign policy of the country approved the corresponding proposals of the Bulgarian pro-European parties.
Subsequently, Bulgaria announced that it would take part in the European Union mission to train military personnel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (EUMAM UA).
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