Bulgaria rebuffs claims of supplying NATO allies with SU-25 aircrafts

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
16 Jan 20:12

A report by Bloomberg said that Ukraine had received 14 Su-25 aircraft purchased by NATO member states from Bulgaria and delivered to Ukraine, quoting a Dutch defense analysis website Oryx.

The Sukhoi Su-25 Grach is a single-seat, twin-engine jet aircraft developed in the Soviet Union by Sukhoi. It was designed to provide close air support for the Soviet Ground Forces. (Source: World Army Club)

Bulgarian authorities rebuked on Monday reports that the country had provided NATO allies with Su-25 aircraft that would later be sent to Kiev's forces.

On Sunday, Bloomberg said that Ukraine had received 14 Su-25 aircraft purchased by NATO member states from Bulgaria and delivered to Ukraine, quoting a Dutch defense analysis website Oryx.

The report did nonetheless specify that the data may be invalid.

In response to these claims, the Bulgarian Ministry of Defense rebuffed them as incorrect.

The 48th National Assembly in December of last year did not include supplying warplanes and heavy equipment to Kiev's forces.

It did however include the supply of small-scale arms and ammunition.

There was a time when the supply of armored vehicles and anti-aircraft missile systems was discussed when Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov visited Ukraine last year.

However, that suggestion was later ruled out due to the lack of replacement arms and vehicles for the Bulgarian army.