Russian intelligence agencies may be behind the explosion at the Emko ammunition depot, owned by notorious Bulgarian arms manufacturer and dealer Emilian Gebrev. This follows from statements by Gebrev himself and by Bulgarian experts.

Fifth in a row

In the early morning of July 31, 2022, an explosion occurred in Bulgaria at the Emko warehouse owned by Emilian Gebrev. Before that, the Gebrev factory and warehouses had already exploded four times in Bulgaria between 2011 and 2020. Its owner suspects that Russian special services are behind the current incident, as well as all previous ones. They, according to Gebrev, tried in 2015 to poison him with the military chemical agent Novichok. Then the businessman fell ill at a reception in Sofia, fell into a coma and was hospitalized, but in the end he survived.

The circumstances of all previous incidents with Emko and its owner are still unclear. At the same time, neither Emilian Gebrev himself, nor the Bulgarian experts have much hope that, in this case, the authorities will find the causes and perpetrators of the explosion. Perhaps that is why Gebrev, who for many years avoided contact with the media, unexpectedly spoke publicly about this case, also answering DW’s questions.

“Everything Speaks of Targeted Sabotage”

The blown-up complex, a former military facility that Emko acquired a long time ago, is located outside the small town of Karnobat, in southwestern Bulgaria, and covers an area of ​​about 220 hectares, where four warehouses are located. They have internal and external security zones, equipped with motion sensors, video cameras and security guards. Therefore, Gebrev excludes a technical malfunction as a possible cause of the explosion.

Tikhomir Bezlov

Bulgarian experts also have little doubt that this is sabotage – on the part of the Russian Federation. “The way the various types of alarms went off when approaching the warehouse from the outside, the lack of human casualties in the explosion and the purpose of the actions – all of these point to deliberate sabotage,” said Tikhomir Bezlov, a security expert at the Center for the Study of Democracy in Sofia, he told DW.

Emilian Gebrev is more diplomatic. “I never claimed that Russia was 100% behind this sabotage. I just made an informed assumption, which you see in previous actions by Russian special services in Bulgaria, the Czech Republic and the UK,” he specified. “There is still no direct evidence that Russia was to blame for the incident. These are purely logical conclusions. We have the fifth explosion at Emko’s warehouses and factories, in addition to the attack on Gebrev itself – these are no coincidences,” agrees Tikhomir Bezlov. .

ruslan trade

And Ruslan Trad, a security expert at Bulgaria’s Atlantic Council, adds that given all the past incidents, there is almost no doubt who is behind them: “Gebrev and Emko really don’t have serious competition in the country. And similar acts of sabotage in Europe, for example in Serbia, indicate that Russia is targeting European communications for the supply (of weapons. – Red.) for Ukraine and other conflict regions”.

Not without Bulgarian helpers?

Likewise, Emilian Gebrev and Bulgarian experts are unanimous that Russian special services have assistants where the explosions took place. “I’m sure, although I can’t name any names,” Gebrev told DW. He sees help for criminals, or at least their silent support, not among his company’s employees but elsewhere.

Ivan Gechev

“If by political assistants you mean those who allow such terrorist acts, who do everything possible to hide the truth and steer the investigation in the wrong way, then yes, then Russia has these assistants in Bulgaria,” Gebrev said in an interview. to DW. – First of all, this is the leadership of the Bulgarian Public Ministry, which also reports to the special services.

The arms dealer does not hide his dislike for the Bulgarian attorney general Ivan Gechev, accusing him of not seriously investigating the explosions at the warehouses and the Emko factory, or the possible poisoning of Gebrev himself by Novichok. Tikhomir Bezlov shares this approach: “So far, nothing is known about any serious investigations, or about the results, or even about the consequences.”

Guessing about the reasons

Why was the Emko warehouse the target of alleged Russian sabotage? The connection with the supply of weapons from Bulgaria to Ukraine is on the surface, but this version is erroneous, assures the owner of the company. “I can say with 100 percent certainty that what was stored in the Karnobat complex was in no way destined for Ukraine,” Gebrev emphasized in an interview with DW. “Ukraine never needed it. The destroyed warehouses contained old ammunition, intended for use as components and parts in the production process at Emko’s factories.” Meanwhile, local media wrote that Emko supplied weapons to Ukraine at the height of the conflict in the east of the country in 2014.

Emilian Gebrev and Bulgarian President Rumen Radev (first from right) at an exhibition of military equipment in Plovdiv

The company owner does not see a specific and explainable reason why the old ammunition that was in the warehouses was destroyed as a result of sabotage. Experts familiar with the case came to the same conclusion. They point out that they are apparently talking about small-caliber anti-tank munitions that should be sold to Africa.

“Gebrev and Emko are targeted because this company is one of the biggest arms and ammunition dealers not only in Bulgaria but in the whole of Eastern Europe. It can not only manufacture these items but also market them all over the world” , highlights , in turn, Tikhomir Bezlov.

Therefore, according to him, the conflict between Gebrev and Russia is related not only to the fact that Emko supplies supplies to conflict zones in which Russia participates. A few years ago, there were attempts by Russia to buy Emko’s production facilities, but Gerbev backed out of the deal. In this regard, Ruslan Trad is sure: “Any delivery that can be stopped will benefit Russia. This is a very serious signal.”