363 Bulgarian citizens from Kyiv and around 150 from Odessa have requested evacuation at this time. The plan is to use 4 buses from Kyiv and 3 from Odessa. Two buses with Bulgarian citizens, evacuated from Odessa, Ukraine, have already crossed the border with Moldova. Bulgarian diplomatic envoys have been dispatched to Romania and Moldova to render assistance to our compatriots. 

The Bulgarian Ministry of Defence says it is ready to provide more buses, Deputy Foreign Minister Irena Dimitrova said at a briefing, and added that at the moment only Bulgarian citizens are being transported, not Bulgarians with Ukrainian citizenship. The Bulgarian citizens will be convoyed to the border by the local authorities. Bulgarians in their private motor vehicles will also join the convoy to travel in a motorcade. Bulgaria, alongside other countries, is also considering the option of a humanitarian corridor for the delivery of necessities. A list of necessities has been provided by the Ukrainian side. An analysis is to be made of what this country can do to help.

The first bus arrived in front of the Bulgarian consulate building in Odessa a little after midday. It will be used to evacuate the Bulgarians already registered. Families from Ukraine have started arriving at Bulgaria’s border checkpoints with Romania Kardam and Durankulak who will seek temporary refuge in Bulgaria. The Bulgarian Red Cross in Varna has stated it is ready to assist refugees from Ukraine.