Bulgaria will send its first military aid to Ukraine since the start of Russia’s invasion after the parliament in Sofia on Friday approved an arms list drawn up by the interim government, Reuters reported.
Bulgaria was one of the few EU countries not to send aid after the pro-Russian Socialist Party, a coalition partner in the previous government, blocked the offer in May.
The list of weapons is classified, but government officials said Sofia would send mostly light weapons and ammunition.
Acting Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov said that Bulgaria, which is a member of NATO, cannot afford to send the Russian-made anti-aircraft missile systems or the MIG-19 and SU-25 fighters that Kyiv wants.
“My approach was conservative because I have to ensure Bulgaria’s defense capability. The aid is fully in line with Ukraine’s priorities, but we are not sending S-300 systems, as well as MIG-29 or SU-25 aircraft,” Stoyanov said on Friday.
Arms exports are growing
Although Bulgaria did not send weapons to Ukraine, its arms manufacturers noted an increase in exports, a report by the Bulgarian Industrial Association showed in November.
In August, the Ministry of Economy approved arms export deals worth more than $540 million, most of which were destined for Poland, one of the key arms supply centers to Ukraine.
On Friday, 148 out of 240 deputies voted for sending aid, while the Socialists and the pro-Russian Renaissance party voted against it.
Source: Hot News
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