Bulgarian parliament approves provision of armored vehicles to Ukraine

The Bulgarian parliament ratified on Nov. 22 the agreement to provide armored transport vehicles to Ukraine, together with corresponding armament and spare parts, the Bulgarian News Agency reported.

The agreement between the Bulgarian Interior Ministry and the Ukrainian Defense Ministry was supported by 131 Bulgarian lawmakers, with 49 voting against and one abstaining.

The deal was signed in Sofia on Aug. 8 and in Kyiv on Nov. 13.

The vehicles in question are no longer needed by the country's Interior Ministry, the news agency reported, without specifying the type or the number of the vehicles.

Deputy Defense Minister Ivelina Dundakova said that the agreement is implementing the parliament's decision in July to provide Ukraine with additional military-technical support to Ukraine.

This support was reportedly meant to include 100 older armored vehicles from the Bulgarian Interior Ministry's stocks.

The Bulgarian parliament approved in September a military aid package for Ukraine including small-caliber ammunition and S-300 anti-air missiles.

Bulgaria’s Soviet stockpiles and large defense industry may be key to Ukraine’s success

Bulgaria has had to walk a fine line, trying to covertly support Ukraine without provoking Russia. The Balkan state has been historically influenced by Moscow. Opinions on Ukraine are split among its 6.7 million people, many of whom buy into Kremlin propaganda. The new coalition government elected…

The Kyiv IndependentAsami Terajima