Podcast in English
Audio Player
Text size
Bulgarian National Radio © 2025 All Rights Reserved

Emilian Gebrev 100% sure Russian operatives are behind explosions at ammunition depot: The Guardian

Emilian Gebrev
Photo: EPA/BGNES

Arms dealer Emilian Gebrev is “100% sure” that Russian operatives were behind an explosion and subsequent fire at one of his depots in the country on Sunday.

“There is no way this could be an accident, there was nothing in the building that could have detonated without outside interference,” Emilian Gebrev said in a telephone interview with The Guardian.

It is the fifth time in recent years that blasts have occurred at facilities belonging to Emco, Gebrev’s arms company. Bulgarian prosecutors have linked previous attacks to Russian operatives, the Guardian writes.

Gebrev fell into a coma in 2015 and western authorities and intelligence agencies believe he was poisoned with the nerve agent novichok by officers from Russian military intelligence, the GRU. He said this weekend’s fire was likely to be their work as well.

Whatever the reason, Gebrev has apparently made powerful enemies in Russia. Between 2011 and 2020, blasts hit four warehouses and production facilities linked to his company. Last year, the Bulgarian foreign ministry expelled a Russian diplomat over suspected Russian involvement in the blasts, and called on Moscow to help with the investigation, The Guardian writes. 



Последвайте ни и в Google News Showcase, за да научите най-важното от деня!
Listen to the daily news from Bulgaria presented in "Bulgaria Today" podcast, available in Spotify.

More from category

Monday will be cloudy with showers

Monday will be mostly cloudy. In some areas, especially in Western and Northern Bulgaria, there will be rain showers. Minimum temperatures will be between 4°C and 9°C, around 6°C in Sofia, while maximum temperatures will be between 17°C and 22°C, around..

published on 3/23/25 6:23 PM
The protest in Sofia featured slogans such as

Citizens protest, demanding the harshest penalties for animal abusers

Hundreds of citizens have once again protested against animal cruelty in Plovdiv and Sofia. The protesters demanded that Gabriela Sashova and Krassimir Georgiev from Pernik, who sadistically tortured and killed hundreds of cats, rabbits, guinea pigs,..

published on 3/23/25 2:26 PM
Atanas Zapryanov

War minister calls for compulsory military training for people working with firearms

Those in professions where weapons are used should undergo compulsory military training. This is being considered by the Ministry of War, Minister Atanas Zapryanov told BNR. "Our idea is that compulsory military training should not be understood as..

published on 3/23/25 12:53 PM