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Bulgaria to donate surplus military equipment to Ukraine, says defense minister

Bulgarian Defense Minister Atanas Zapryanov announced plans to provide Ukraine with excess military equipment and ammunition following a thorough review of Bulgarian military resources and finding a surplus equipment that could be donated to Ukraine without compromising national security.

byVira Kravchuk

23/07/2024

2 minute read

155mm artillery ammunition. Photo: mil.in.ua

Bulgaria to donate surplus military equipment to Ukraine, says defense minister

Bulgaria plans to provide Ukraine with surplus ammunition and other military equipment, if these deliveries are compensated by allied countries, according to the country’s caretaker Minister of Defense, Atanas Zapryanov.

Both Ukrainian and Russian forces heavily depend on artillery fire along the vast 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line. Ukraine, however, is facing a significant artillery ammunition shortage.

The Bulgarian decision comes after a thorough analysis of the Bulgarian army’s needs and inventory, some of which turned out to be unnecessary for them, according to BNR.

Zapryanov emphasized that this donation would not compromise Bulgaria’s defense capabilities.

“We conducted a very thorough analysis and calculation. It turned out that there are items that are surplus and unnecessary for the Bulgarian army,” Zapryanov said.

The minister revealed that the aid would be part of a broader agreement with an allied nation, similar to a previous arrangement. Under the earlier deal, Bulgaria received approximately 30 million euros ($32 million) in compensation, which has been earmarked for modernizing the country’s military.

Bulgaria provided two packages of military aid to Ukraine, approved at the end of 2022 and in June 2023.

In January 2024, Bulgarian Defense Minister Todor Tagarev announced that Bulgaria’s military-industrial complex is operating nearly 24/7 to supply Ukraine with ammunition, small arms, and light weapons, primarily based on Soviet standards.

However, Bulgarian President Rumen Radev declined to attend the NATO summit in Washington, citing disagreements with the Bulgarian government’s stance on the Russo-Ukrainian war. Radev, known for his pro-Russian views, opposes military aid to Ukraine, claiming it prolongs the conflict.

In April, Czechia also pledged to supply Ukraine with at least 800,000 large-caliber ammunition rounds by June 2024 to address Ukraine’s severe artillery ammunition shortage.

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