According to an investigation carried out by Euractive Bulgaria, Bulgarian arms worth billions of USD entered Ukraine through other countries in the past two years without Ukraine and Bulgaria even having to agree to a single direct deal, even before the war.

“Even before the war, from the start of 2021 until 24 February 2022, Ukraine made no direct deals with Bulgarian arms companies, which are major exporters of weapons and ammunition produced according to the Soviet standard for the Ukrainian army”, Euractiv said. In 2022 alone, Bulgaria exported indirectly at least USD 1 billion in arms to Ukraine, Euractiv wrote. Large state-owned arms factories in Sopot, Kazanlak and Karlovo reported a 100% increase in sales. According to Alexander Mihailov, former executive director of the state-owned company “KIntex”, the arms export permits issued by the state in 2022 were to the tune of EUR 1.3 billion.