Bulgaria is negotiating the purchase of new anti-drone systems following the recent incident near the Romanian border, Defense Minister Dimitar Stoyanov said, as authorities continue to investigate the origin and flight path of the Ukrainian-made drone.
Stoyanov told BNT that the case had highlighted the need for specialized systems capable of detecting and neutralizing small unmanned aircraft. “The drone case shows that there is a need to utilize special systems for detecting and destroying such aircraft. There is a need for new systems, purchased as quickly as possible,” he said.
The defense minister said the government is already negotiating the acquisition of such systems. He also criticized the long-standing neglect of Bulgaria's defense industry, saying, “The defense industry is an orphan in the industrial complex of Bulgaria, it was neglected and was not in any way stimulated to develop in one way or another.”
The drone that crashed near the village of Yovkovo, close to the Kardam border crossing, has been identified as a Ukrainian-made Maya decoy aircraft. According to the preliminary assessment, it measures about 2 by 2 meters and can carry up to 5 kilograms of explosives.
Stoyanov said the drone most likely entered Bulgarian territory from Romania. Investigators are examining the recovered components in an effort to determine its flight path, although they have doubts that this will be possible because much of the control board was damaged.
