Bulgaria has taken another step toward upgrading its armed forces, as the government has launched the execution of a key modernization initiative for the Bulgarian Army. The development was confirmed by the press center of the Ministry of Defense. The first phase of deliveries under the project is already underway. New Stryker combat Read more
Outgoing Bulgarian Defence Minister Atanas Zapryanov confirmed that the Bulgarian Army is in the process of transitioning to NATO-standard weapons, a step aimed at modernizing its arsenal. His remarks were made in response to a question from “Revival” MP Dimcho Dimchev regarding plans to replace the army’s primary small arms, which still rely on Soviet-caliber Read more
Italy will fund the construction of temporary infrastructure for a NATO battlegroup base in Bulgaria, after Bulgaria’s parliamentary defence committee approved the agreement. The project concerns the Kabile military area, designated to host a multinational NATO force. The planned construction will be executed in two stages: the first will provide facilities for temporary deployment, while the second Read more
Bulgaria has formally submitted a request to the European Commission for EUR 3.2 billion in funding under the Security Action for Europe (SAFE) mechanism, the Defence Ministry confirmed to BTA on Monday. This request is accompanied by the National Investment Plan for the European Defence Industry, which was approved by the Read more
Former Bulgarian Defense Minister Todor Tagarev has warned that if Ukraine were to collapse, Bulgaria could be next in line, speaking on bTV. He addressed ongoing efforts to negotiate a peace agreement and end the war between Russia and Ukraine, amid the latest diplomatic exchanges between Washington, Moscow, and Kyiv. Tagarev stressed that peace remains distant despite recent Read more
A Russian paramilitary school was uncovered in Serbia last week. It all started after dozens of people were arrested in Moldova and accused of plotting to organize “mass riots,” and then it turned out that they had undergone combat training in Serbia. Arrests also followed in Serbia itself, where two people Read more
In its statement, Romania’s defence ministry said it detected the Russian drone when two F-16 jets were monitoring they country’s border with Ukraine, after “Russian air attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure on the Danube”. The drone was detected 20km (12.4 miles) south-west of the village of Chilia Veche, before disappearing from Read more
The construction of a NATO military base near the village of Kabile in Yambol Province has officially begun, following approval by the Bulgarian Council of Ministers. The project comes after the government signed a draft agreement with Italy for the joint construction and use of military facilities within the Kabile military district. The base is designed to host the multinational battle group Read more
VMZ-Sopot, Bulgaria’s state-owned arms manufacturer, is set to partner with Rheinmetall, the largest defense company in Europe, for the joint production of NATO-standard 155 mm artillery shells on Bulgarian territory. The details are outlined in a recent government assignment, as reported by Bulgarian National Radio. The plan involves forming a consortium in which Bulgaria will contribute Read more
Zapad-25 is a major joint strategic military exercise between Russia and Belarus scheduled for mid-September 2025, marking the first large-scale Russia-Belarus military drill since the 2021 exercises that preceded Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Exercise Overview and Timeline The exercise is set to take place from September 12-16, 2025, representing the main stage Read more