Russia suspected of sabotage in Bulgarian EMKO plant explosion

Western intelligence sources suggest that the August 10 explosion at the EMKO ammunition plant near Tryavna, Bulgaria, may be part of a new wave of Russian sabotage targeting European defense manufacturers. Reports indicate that the Kremlin may be recruiting local criminal groups to carry out attacks, using cryptocurrency for payments and digital platforms like Telegram to coordinate, aiming to test NATO's resolve without triggering Article 5.

This incident follows a pattern of alleged hybrid warfare activities across Europe, including explosions at a Czech factory, an arson attack on a drone manufacturer in Estonia, and accusations against individuals in Lithuania. The owner of EMKO, Emilian Gebrev, has a history of being targeted; in 2015, he and his son were poisoned in Sofia. Investigations by Bellingcat have previously linked GRU unit 29155 to similar explosions in Czechia and Bulgaria.

In response to the incident, political figures in Bulgaria have characterized the explosion not as a local police matter, but as a significant national security threat. Calls have been made for parliamentary hearings involving the Minister of Interior and the head of the State Agency for National Security to address the prevention of such hybrid threats.