Because of the war in Ukraine, Bulgaria has not been able to retrieve a Bulgarian air force An-30 aircraft sent there on 20 January, 2021 for repairs, Dimitar Stoyanov, Minister of Defence in the caretaker government has announced. Under a contract with the state-owned company Ukrinmash, the airplane was supposed to undergo a major overhaul and modernization. Bulgaria has paid around 6 million 130,000 Leva, without VAT (around EUR 3 million), and expects the aircraft, manufactured in 1975, to be operational for another 7 years. But after the start of the war in Ukraine, its return has proved problematic, BNR’s Dobromir Videv reports.

During his visit to Ukraine before the Christmas holidays, Minister Stoyanov raised the issue of returning the airplane. “The Ukrainian side says that at the moment conditions are unsuitable. The risk of the aircraft being hit in the air is enormous, and they do not want to take that risk,” Dimitar Stoyanov said.