Bulgaria investigates fire at weapons site that owner calls sabotage

Bulgaria is investigating the cause of an overnight fire at an ammunition storage site run by a private defence firm.

Key points

• This includes a poisoning attempt in 2015 of Gebrev, his son and another firm employee – three Russian nationals were afterwards charged in absentia for attempted murder.
• As it continues to repel a full-scale Russian invasion introduced in 2022, bulgaria is a major weapons supplier to Ukraine.
• Last week, Germany remarked Russia was responsible for August's drone attack at Leipzig's airport – a claim denied by Moscow as "absurd".
• Interior Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev remarked the authorities "are not ruling out outside interference" in the incident in central Bulgaria.
• And although Sofia has lately halted state-owned arms supplies to Ukraine, Bulgarian private defence businesses continue such transfers.

Interior Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev remarked the authorities "are not ruling out outside interference" in the incident in central Bulgaria. No-one was injured in the blaze that triggered a series of explosions.

EMCO firm, whose weapons are employed by Ukraine against invading Russian forces, noted the fire at its site was sabotage and that human error was "completely ruled out". It did not say who might be responsible.

For context, the latest incident follows last month's fire and blasts at another EMCO ammunition warehouse in the area.

When full compliance with all regulations was confirmed, in an official note, EMCO remarked the storage facility that was burned this time – near the central village of Gorni Varpishta, some 170km (106 miles) east of the capital Sofia – had not been employed for months and was inspected just 20 days ago.

It cited a number of similar incidents at Bulgarian defence firms since 2011, saying that the latest was "no exception to the series of acts of sabotage against the Bulgarian defence industry".

"As the EU and Nato member state most severely affected by such actions, Bulgaria must join the collective effort to prevent and neutralise these attacks, " EMCO remarked.

For context, the firm is run by Bulgarian arms dealer Emilian Gebrev. This person bulgarian prosecutors allege has already been targeted by Russian agents.

And although Sofia has lately halted state-owned arms supplies to Ukraine, Bulgarian private defence businesses continue such transfers. Russia appears to have lately escalated its sabotage campaign throughout Europe.

There have additionally been a number of suspicious fires at defence facilities from Italy to Estonia, with some of the affected countries blaming Russia.

For now, bulgaria investigates fire at weapons site that owner calls sabotage remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.