Bulgaria refuses to provide Ukraine with heavy weapons

ANKARA

Bulgaria refused to provide Ukraine with heavy weapons, according to media reports Thursday.

Defence Minister Dimitar Stoyanov told reporters that the issue was again raised when he recently met Ukrainian Ambassador Vitaliy Moskalenko, according to the state-run Bulgarian News Agency (BTA).

"My reply was brief and clear: There is a resolution of the parliament which we cannot override,” he said on his way to a Bulgarian Security Council meeting. “As long as I am minister and as long as parliament's position stands, there is no way I will give heavy weapons."

The Security Council convened Thursday to discuss the latest and possible developments in the wake of a partial mobilization declared in Russia and referenda in four Russian-occupied Ukrainian regions.

The Ukrainian separatist regions of Donetsk and Luhansk and Russian-controlled parts of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson held referendums Sept. 23 - 27 on joining Russia.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said Wednesday that more than 98% voted in favor of joining Russia.

The polls have been widely condemned by the international community, with European nations and the US calling them “sham” and saying they will not be recognized.

Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin also announced a partial military mobilization, calling up to 300,000 reservists for deployment to Ukraine, a move seen as an escalation in the war that began in February.