It’s hot in the parliament today. The plenary hall will discuss the provision of new military aid to Ukraine. Bulgaria sends ammunition and malfunctioning missiles that the country can repair and use. BSP is against it.
At an extraordinary meeting yesterday, the Defense Committee of the National Assembly accepted the proposal that Bulgaria send to Ukraine malfunctioning anti-aircraft guided missiles of the 5В55Р(К) type and ammunition for automatic small arms with a caliber of 5.56×45 mm that are no longer necessary for the needs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. handed over BNR.
The proposal was adopted with 11 votes in favor and 4 against. There were no abstentions.
The initiators of the project are deputies from GERB-SDS, PP-DB and DPS, and among the signatories are Boyko Borisov, Hristo Ivanov, Kiril Petkov and Delyan Peevski.
Defense Minister Todor Tagarev defended the proposal and suggested that the aid be expanded. The opposition reacted sharply. According to them, providing the missiles is a step towards the complete deprivation of the country’s anti-aircraft missile systems.
Borislav Gutsanov from BSP again demanded the resignation of Defense Minister Todor Tagarev.
During the meeting, an expert from the Ministry of Defense explained that these missiles have not successfully passed the tests and there is no way to repair them in our country.
It is planned to give missiles, not entire S-300 anti-aircraft missile systems, as well as war cartridges according to the NATO standard.
The missiles are defective and cannot serve the Bulgarian army, Defense Minister Todor Tagarev confirmed at the commission’s meeting and assured that this will not endanger national security.
Bulgaria has made an attempt to repair the missiles. Such a procedure was initiated by the Ministry of Defense in the period from September 15, 2020 to July 21, 2022. The only company admitted was that of the manufacturer – the Russian aerospace defense concern Almaz-Antey. However, it turned out that the concern also did not have the opportunity to repair the missiles and suggested that Bulgaria turn to Russia’s reserve, which is not possible due to the invasion of Ukraine.
“The Bulgarian side does not have the ability to repair and restore the malfunctioning 5B55P(K) anti-aircraft missiles for the S-300 air defense system, without endangering the lives and health of personnel. Accordingly, Bulgaria cannot repair them or use them, but they are needed by the Ukrainian air defense”, the importers write.
“If we go to do them, with us the risk, if there is an accident, is higher for the personnel and the people who serve them, while with the Ukrainians, this risk is more acceptable, because according to them, with one of the defective complexes, they can to repair several of their existing ones and protect their cities”, explained the head of the commission, Hristo Gadjev.
Exactly what the missile defect is is classified information. “These anti-aircraft missiles have not successfully passed the tests,” said Air Force Deputy Commander Brigadier General. Petyo Mirchev.
The rockets are indeed malfunctioning, their fuel has expired. It is dangerous and toxic and there are no conditions for it to be replaced in our country, experts say.
