Bulgarian authorities have initiated an investigation into an explosion that occurred at a weapons storage site in central Bulgaria overnight. This incident follows a recent fire at a munitions depot. Interior Minister Ivan Dermendzhiev said on Saturday that there were no injuries from the fire near the village of Tsareva Livada and that the situation is under control while investigations continue.
Minister Dermendzhiev said the incident may be connected to a previous fire at another EMCO facility in August. He emphasised a concerning level of negligence in how explosives and ammunition are stored, along with a lack of adherence to proper security measures.
“We have experienced one incident followed by another. Such operations present a significant safety risk that must not be taken lightly,” he remarked.
Furthermore, Minister Dermendzhiev, part of the centre-left government led by former President Rumen Radev, refrained from commenting on opposition parties’ suggestions that Moscow may have sabotaged facilities supplying arms to Ukraine.
In the past decade, several explosions have occurred at EMCO arms factories, which have been suppliers of weapons to Ukraine. Notably, in 2015, EMCO owner Emilian Gebrev survived an assassination attempt, leading to charges against three Russian nationals suspected of being operatives for Russian military intelligence.
This article used information from The Associated Press.
