Bulgaria is investigating an overnight fire and series of explosions at a private defense company's ammunition storage site. The company, EMCO, called the incident sabotage, citing previous attacks on the Bulgarian defense industry. No one was injured.
The incident raises concerns about potential Russian sabotage campaigns targeting defense infrastructure in NATO and EU member states, potentially impacting military aid to Ukraine and regional security.
Bulgaria is investigating the cause of an overnight fire and series of explosions at an ammunition storage site run by private defense company EMCO. Interior Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev stated that authorities "are not ruling out outside interference" in the incident near Gorni Varpishta. EMCO, whose weapons are used by Ukraine, called the fire sabotage and said human error was "completely ruled out," without specifying who might be responsible. No injuries were reported. This is the second such incident at an EMCO ammunition warehouse in recent weeks. EMCO noted that the facility had not been used for months and was inspected just 20 days prior, with full compliance confirmed. The company cited a number of similar incidents at Bulgarian defense firms since 2011, calling the latest event "no exception to the series of acts of sabotage against the Bulgarian defence industry." EMCO stated that Bulgaria, as an EU and NATO member state most affected by such actions, must join efforts to prevent and neutralize these attacks. The firm is run by Bulgarian arms dealer Emilian Gebrev, who Bulgarian prosecutors allege has been targeted by Russian agents, including a 2015 poisoning attempt. Bulgaria is a significant weapons supplier to Ukraine, with private defense companies continuing transfers despite a halt in state-owned supplies.
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