Bulgaria Probes Suspected Sabotage at Ukraine-Linked Weapons Site

Bulgaria has launched an investigation into an overnight fire at an ammunition storage facility operated by EMCO, a private defence company whose weapons are used by Ukraine in its war against Russia. The blaze, near the village of Gorni Varpishta in central Bulgaria, caused a series of explosions but injured no one. Interior Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev said authorities were not excluding the possibility of outside interference. EMCO has described the incident as sabotage, saying human error was “completely ruled out,” although the company did not identify a suspected perpetrator. It said the affected facility had not been used for several months and had passed a regulatory inspection 20 days before the fire. The company linked the incident to a series of similar events affecting Bulgarian defence firms since 2011 and urged Bulgaria, an EU and NATO member, to participate in a broader effort to prevent and counter attacks on the defence industry. The fire follows another incident involving explosions at a different EMCO ammunition warehouse in the same area the previous month. EMCO is owned by Bulgarian arms dealer Emilian Gebrev, whom Bulgarian prosecutors say was previously targeted by Russian agents. Gebrev, his son and another employee were poisoned in 2015, and three Russian nationals were later charged in absentia with attempted murder. Bulgaria remains a major supplier of weapons to Ukraine, despite Sofia’s decision to halt state-owned arms transfers. Private Bulgarian defence companies continue to supply equipment. The incident comes amid growing European concern over alleged Russian sabotage. Germany recently blamed Russia for a drone attack at Leipzig airport, a claim Moscow rejected, while other suspicious fires at defence facilities across Europe have also been attributed by some governments to Russia.

Bulgarian authorities are investigating a Friday-night fire at a munitions storage facility operated by EMCO, a Bulgarian arms manufacturer whose ammunition is used by Ukraine. The facility is near the village of Tsareva Livada. No casualties have been reported, employees were evacuated, and police said there was no immediate danger to local residents. The extent of the damage remains unclear. EMCO has ruled out human error. Interior Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev said investigators would examine earlier fires at EMCO facilities and incidents at other arms companies to determine whether there is a connection or a recurring pattern. EMCO production manager Slavcho Dimiev said the site primarily stored ammunition, including a small quantity of medium-caliber rounds, and called for stronger security at arms facilities. He said that if the sites were deliberately targeted, the attacks would affect Bulgaria's national interest rather than only the company. The fire follows several previous incidents involving EMCO. Company owner Emilian Gebrev survived an assassination attempt that Bulgarian authorities have attributed to Russian operatives, and three Russian nationals were charged in connection with it. In 2024, Bulgaria issued arrest warrants for six Russian nationals allegedly involved in the destruction of EMCO depots holding ammunition intended for export to Ukraine and Georgia between 2011 and 2020. Prosecutors linked those incidents to the 2014 explosion at a Czech munitions depot. The article places the fire within a wider pattern of suspected sabotage affecting European defense companies supplying Ukraine. It cites an explosion at KNDS Ammo Italy near Rome, incendiary devices near the Munich headquarters of Rohde & Schwarz, and an alleged Russian plot against Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger. Russia has denied responsibility for the incidents and rejected accusations of sabotage as European warmongering.

Bulgaria is investigating a fire at a weapons storage facility operated by EMCO, a Bulgarian arms trading company. The incident occurred near the village of Tsareva Livada and reportedly illuminated the night sky, but no injuries were reported. Authorities brought the fire under control and began examining whether it was caused by an accident, deliberate sabotage, or a connection to a previous explosion and fire at another EMCO weapons depot in western Bulgaria in August. Interior Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev said investigators would review earlier fires at EMCO facilities and at other Bulgarian defence companies to determine whether the incidents share a common pattern. He said authorities were not ruling out outside interference, though no evidence identifying a perpetrator was provided in the report. EMCO later stated that the latest fire was the result of sabotage. The company cited more than 10 similar incidents at Bulgarian defence firms since 2011, but did not name any suspects or provide further evidence. The report also notes that EMCO’s facilities have previously been alleged to be targets of attacks by Russian operatives, providing broader geopolitical context for the investigation. The fire follows a series of incidents involving weapons-storage and defence-industry sites in Bulgaria. Authorities are therefore investigating both the immediate cause of the latest blaze and whether it forms part of a wider pattern. At the time of publication, the investigation remained ongoing, with no reported casualties and no confirmed attribution for the alleged sabotage.

An explosion caused a fire at a weapons storage site in central Bulgaria overnight, according to local media and officials. The incident occurred near the village of Tsareva Livada and was reportedly visible in videos showing the night sky illuminated by flames. No injuries were reported. Gabrovo regional governor Kristina Sidorova said the fire was spreading across the storage base, moving from one warehouse to another. Local media identified the facility as being operated by EMCO, a Bulgarian arms company. The company was not immediately available for comment to Reuters. The incident is the second reported blaze at a Bulgarian munitions facility in several weeks. EMCO experienced an explosion at another site the previous month. The company is owned by Bulgarian arms trader Emilian Gebrev, whom Bulgarian prosecutors have alleged was previously targeted in attacks linked to Russian operatives. In 2024, Bulgaria issued arrest warrants for six Russian citizens accused of involvement in the destruction of EMCO arms depots between 2011 and 2020. The depots were storing ammunition intended for export to Ukraine and Georgia. Prosecutors said there could be links between those explosions, an attempted poisoning of Gebrev in 2015, and explosions at munitions depots in the Czech Republic in 2014. Moscow has rejected the allegations. The article does not establish whether the latest explosion was accidental or connected to the earlier incidents. Authorities had not reported casualties or announced a confirmed cause at the time of publication.