Investigations are underway across Sofia and Bulgaria, following orders from the National Bureau of Investigation.
Bulgaria has been at the centre of an ongoing investigation into corruption in the sale of weapons to Ukraine, with raids taking place in several cities and regions across the country. The operation, which is being overseen by the Supreme Cassation Prosecutor's Office, is part of an international effort to combat corruption and abuse in arms trading amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.
The investigation was initiated by Ukraine's National Anti-Corruption Bureau, which requested Bulgarian authorities to conduct raids targeting major local arms dealers suspected of corrupt practices, including overpricing and possible violations of international sanctions by supplying arms to Russia.
Key developments in the case include the launch of wide-ranging searches across Bulgaria, focusing on companies like Sage Consultants AD, one of Bulgaria's largest arms traders linked to businessmen Gencho and Hristo Hristov. Though no arrests have yet been made, suspicions have grown that in addition to inflating prices for weapons sold to Ukraine, some dealers might be involved in illicit arms sales benefiting Russia.
Past related concerns stem from cases such as the arrest of Bulgarian national Petar Mirchev in Spain for allegedly supplying weapons to a Mexican cartel, with those arms reportedly sourced from a company connected to the Hristovs—highlighting the potential risks of battlefield technologies falling into criminal hands.
The operation remains ongoing under Bulgarian Interior Ministry supervision, with collaboration between special investigative, organized crime, and anti-corruption units. This case is part of a wider international effort to combat corruption and abuse in arms trading amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Regarding the Polish company Alfa, the search results do not explicitly detail its involvement or connection to the Bulgarian corruption case. No direct mention or evidence about Alfa appeared in the available sources, indicating that if involved, details have not been publicly disclosed or are limited at this stage.
The article "Blood Money: How an Unassuming Polish Firm Siphoned Billions from the Ukrainian Army" discusses the scale and nature of the manipulations in the case involving the Polish company Alfa. The corruption case involving arms purchases in Bulgaria tied to Ukraine and the Polish company Alfa centres on allegations of inflated weapon prices and potential illicit arms transfers amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.
As of mid-August 2025, the investigation is ongoing, with no confirmed arrests or charges made public. The operation is not limited to Bulgaria; it includes raids in several regions and cities, demonstrating the global reach of the corruption probe. The public will continue to follow the developments in this case closely, as it sheds light on the complexities and dangers of the international arms trade during times of conflict.
[1] Bulgarian authorities raid arms traders in corruption probe
[3] Bulgaria raids homes, offices of arms traders over Ukraine corruption probe
[5] Bulgaria raids arms traders over corruption allegations linked to Ukraine
- Bulgaria's ongoing anti-corruption operation, centered around the sale of weapons to Ukraine, targets major local arms dealers suspected of engaging in corrupt practices, such as overpricing and possible violations of international sanctions, which may include illicit arms sales benefiting war-and-conflicts like Russia.
- The ongoing investigation into corruption in arms trading amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict has expanded globally, with recent raids taking place in Bulgaria, focused on companies like Sage Consultants AD, as part of a larger efforts to ensure general-news, crime-and-justice, and political accountability in the arms trade industry.
