Bulgaria dispatches eight shipments of arms, equipment to Ukraine

Sofia: Bulgaria has sent eight shipments of arms, equipment and ammunition to Ukraine, in full compliance with National Assembly decisions, according to caretaker Defense Minister Atanas Zapryanov.

This response came following reports and photos on social media showing Bulgarian self-propelled howitzers, specifically the “Gvozdika,” in Ukraine, News.Az reports citing Bulgarian media.

Zapryanov confirmed that Bulgaria has indeed sent such equipment but could not verify the specific origin of the howitzers in the photos, noting that many former Warsaw Pact countries are also providing similar systems to Ukraine. He emphasized that the shipments include various weapons, equipment, and ammunition that are surplus to Bulgaria’s military needs.

The defense minister added that the shipments are part of a compensatory refund arrangement, with Bulgaria expecting substantial funds that will be reinvested into modernizing its military. Additionally, Zapryanov highlighted an increase in military school enrollments and the halting of officer outflows as part of efforts to fully staff higher military education institutions.