site.btaDefence Ministry Has Not Sold Aircraft for Ukraine to Other NATO Members

The Ministry of Defence has not sold or provided to NATO countries Su-25 aircraft intended for Ukraine, the Defence Ministry said here on Monday.

On January 15 the Bloomberg news agency published a breakdown of the main weapons systems Ukraine has received. It is based on data from Orix, a Dutch defence analytics website, which uses open data and public information from Ukraine's allies. The figures are estimates and cannot be independently verified. Bloomberg clarifies that they may include weapons that have been promised but not delivered, as well as weapons that have been delivered but whose delivery has not been publicly disclosed. The agency mentions 14 Russian-made SU-25 attack aircraft that NATO members have purchased from Bulgaria and that have been allegedly delivered to Ukraine.

"What I have always said is that we are not ready to provide Surface-to-Air Missile Systems, aircraft, etc., until we find replacement platforms", caretaker Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov explained on January 12, adding that at this point there are no such replacement platforms.

The Ratification of the agreement between the Defence Ministries of Bulgaria and Ukraine on military aid was promulgated in the State Gazette on December 23. The caretaker Government approved an amendment to the agreement, which permits the Council of Ministers to amend the list of armaments to be provided, should it be necessary. The draft supplementary agreement takes into account the considerations expressed during the discussion about the agreement ratification of December 5 in the National Assembly. 

The provision of further assistance to the Ukrainian side can be made by means of additional agreements, which will also be subject to ratification by the Bulgarian Parliament. The final decision will thus lie with the legislature.