Group intercepted in Bulgaria on charges of trafficking arms for Russian military forces

Bulgaria has pressed charges against a group that exported military equipment and sanctioned goods to Russia. Svobodna Evropa reports.

Yesterday, the Prosecutor's Office, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the State Agency for National Security of Bulgaria announced the exposure of a criminal group of 12 people who were engaged in supplying Russian mercenaries, including the Wagner Group.

The operation to neutralize this group was carried out in Plovdiv, Sofia, Varna and Veliko Tarnovo. The District Prosecutor's Office of Plovdiv on Wednesday filed a petition for the permanent arrest of five accused foreign citizens.

The head of the National Security Agency, Plamen Tonchev, said that the supplies "were intended for special Russian units in Ukraine – the Russian Guard, the GRU, Ramzan Kadyrov’s Chechen units, and Wagner's disbanded private army."

As Hristova reported, the group purchased optical devices, scopes, binoculars, radio receivers and software for shipment to the Russian Federation. The goods were repackaged in an apartment in Plovdiv and transported in suitcases and bags to Sofia airport. The attempted removal was stopped by the operation of the special services.

According to the officially unconfirmed information of Svobodna Evropa, the Aflon company is in question, which is owned and managed by citizens of Greece.