Bulgaria to step up its military aid to Ukraine with more weapon and ammunition.

On July 4, 2023, Bulgarian Defense Minister Todor Tagarev announced that military aid to Ukraine would be increased this year. He made this statement on the state television channel BNT, adding that the country would send weapons after analyzing the needs of the Ukrainian army and the capacity of the Bulgarian armed forces to contribute.
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Artillery ammunition is a key element of Ukraine's army. (Picture source General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine )

The Defense Minister announced that Bulgarian military aid to Ukraine would be increased. He made this statement on the state television channel BNT, adding that the country would send weapons after analyzing the needs of the Ukrainian army.

Bulgaria primarily provides old but still usable ammunition, as it is one of the few NATO countries that still have substantial stocks of ammunition for Soviet weapons. Despite the age of the ammunition, this aid is significant because Soviet weapons are still heavily used by the Ukrainian army in the ongoing conflict with Russia, and one of Ukraine's main concerns is its lack of ammunition.

Bulgaria is also preparing to join the EU initiative to provide Ukraine with one million 155mm caliber ammunition that meets NATO standards, although the production of such projectiles is limited. A decision of the Council of Ministers is being prepared for Bulgaria's participation in the EU initiative, funded through the European Peace Initiative, said Deputy Defense Minister Atanas Zapryanov on June 19. It is not yet clear when the decision will be put to a vote, but Bulgaria will notify the EU of its intention to join the initiative. The deployment of ammunition will be based on bilateral agreements between member states and will be voluntary.

At the beginning of this year, the Bulgarian Ministry of Defense announced that it would order the replacement of old ammunition from the warehouses of the Bulgarian army for approximately 180 million euros. Unofficially, Bulgarian authorities commented earlier in the year that the sale of this ammunition to Ukraine was possible. Such a large quantity of ammunition could have an impact on the dynamics of the fighting on the front line.

Although the aid may seem modest compared to others, it is nonetheless crucial for Ukraine, which continues to seek more material support, particularly in the form of ammunition of this type. This assistance from Bulgaria will certainly have an impact on the situation in Ukraine.