Bulgaria to send surplus ammunition to aid Ukraine's defence

Bulgaria is prepared to deliver another aid package to Ukraine, mainly consisting of surplus ammunition and selected armaments no longer needed by the Bulgarian army. So, what exactly might reach the front lines?

Assurances from Bulgarian politicians follow a review of the Bulgarian army's resources. The review revealed that the country, which had previously supported Ukraine with various types of ammunition and Soviet-era equipment, still possesses resources in its warehouses that could be useful on the front lines.

"We conducted an in-depth analysis. It turned out that the Bulgarian army had unnecessary resources. Part of this property – part of the various types of ammunition – can be transferred to Ukraine. This package will be linked to a compensation agreement with an allied country, similar to previous packages we sent," said Bulgarian Defense Minister Atanas Zapryanov.

The new aid package from Bulgaria would most likely consist mainly of small arms and artillery shells, which have been in short supply for the Ukrainians for some time.

Bulgaria may have a surplus of different types of shells. For example, 122 mm and 152 mm artillery shells are used in Soviet-era howitzers such as the 2S1 Gvozdika (Carnation) or the 2S3 Akatsiya (Acacia). These types of weaponry allow the Ukrainians to hit targets at distances of up to 9 or 11 miles. These shells are simple construction, featuring impact fuzes and a few pounds of TNT. Bulgarian warehouses may also contain 82 mm and 120 mm mortar shells.

Also valuable for the Ukrainians would be 155 mm artillery shells, which the Bulgarians may possess. This is because they are produced in local munitions factories, which, according to assurances from the beginning of the year, were supposed to increase their production pace.

This shell type is common in NATO countries and has been important for Ukrainians for at least several months. They are an essential addition to the weapons supplied to Ukraine. The 155 mm artillery shells are used in self-propelled howitzers such as the Polish Krabs, German PzH 2000s, Slovak Zuzana 2s, Italian M109Ls, and French CAESARs. The Ukrainians have also decided to use them in their 2S22 Bogdana guns.

As noted by Atanas Zapryanov, the Bulgarian government now needs to decide on the transfer of ammunition and weapons and coordinate actions and logistics with its allies and Ukraine.