Bulgaria has sent eight packages of arms, equipment and ammunition to Ukraine, all in strict compliance with the decisions of the National Assembly, caretaker Defence Minister Atanas Zapryanov told journalists in response to a question about photos on social networks of Bulgarian self-propelled howitzers "Gvozdika" in Ukraine, reports the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA).

The Minister attended the opening of the new academic year at the G. S. Rakovski Defence College.

“I can confirm that there was such equipment,” Zapryanov said when asked whether Bulgaria had sent such weapons, but explained that he could not confirm that the equipment in the photos was a Bulgarian howitzer, as all former Warsaw Pact countries continue to help Ukraine and send such systems.

“All the packages that have been sent, there are eight of them, include different weapons, equipment, ammunition, and are strictly in accordance with the decisions of the National Assembly,” Zapryanov said. “These are packages with weapons, equipment, ammunition, which are redundant for the Bulgarian army,” the Minister added.

The Defence Minister said that all packages sent are subject to a compensatory refund, and Bulgaria is expecting very large sums, which will be reinvested in the modernization of the army.

“There has been an increase in terms of enrolment in military schools as we are trying to fill 100% of cadet positions in the higher military schools,” Zapryanov said, adding that the outflow of officers has been stopped.