Ukraine may receive armoured vehicles from Bulgaria in October
Bulgaria intends to start supplying about 100 units of Soviet-style armoured vehicles to Ukraine in late September or early October.
Source: European Pravda with reference to Radio Svoboda (Liberty) and Ukrinform
Details: Bulgarian Defence Minister Teodor Tagarev, during a joint briefing with his Ukrainian counterpart Oleksii Reznikov in Odesa, expressed his belief that "this will be one of the priorities" as soon as the Bulgarian parliament returns to session in September.
Quote from Tagarev: "And by the end of September, by the beginning of October, we will already have ratification of this agreement. And I think that then the transfer (of armoured vehicles) can begin."
Details: According to the minister, the fact that the armoured vehicles are in the warehouses of the Bulgarian Interior Ministry is slowing down the process of their supply, as the ministry has to sign an agreement with the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence and submit it to parliament for ratification in order to start deliveries.
During the meeting, Reznikov and Tagarev also discussed possible bilateral military cooperation: strengthening air defence systems, the possibility of training the Ukrainian Armed Forces in Bulgaria and the rehabilitation of Ukrainian soldiers in Sofia.
Background:
- On 16 August, the Bulgarian government confirmed that Bulgaria will join the G7 declaration on long-term security guarantees for Ukraine.
- Earlier, the government in Sofia approved a draft agreement between the Bulgarian Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine on the donation of armoured vehicles.
- The parliamentary majority in Bulgaria approved the provision of additional military assistance to Ukraine in the form of about 100 Soviet-style armoured personnel carriers on 21 July.
- The APCs (Armoured personnel carriers) have been in the possession of the Bulgarian Ministry of Internal Affairs since the 1980s. Additional assistance may also be established in a separate intergovernmental agreement between Kyiv and Sofia.
- This is the first time that the Bulgarian side has transferred armoured vehicles to Kyiv directly, rather than through intermediaries, as it had done before.
- At the end of June, Bulgaria approved a new military aid package for Ukraine, the details of which were not disclosed.
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