Bulgarian Delegation Witnesses the War in Ukraine

Sofia, Bulgaria – A delegation of prominent Bulgarian experts, who recently returned from a visit to Ukraine at the personal invitation of President Volodymyr Zelensky, shared their first-hand impressions of life in a country torn by war. The participants shared that while the conflict may seem like abstract geopolitics to the outside world, for the Ukrainian people it is a brutal daily reality that takes lives and destroys cities. In a dramatic illustration of this claim, one of the delegation members revealed that a Russian missile hit a shopping mall located only a few hundred meters from their hotel, hours after they left the city.

Press conference reveals the harsh truth

At a press conference at BTA in Sofia, the atmosphere was filled with sobriety and seriousness as the delegates described what they had seen. Ukraine's Ambassador to Bulgaria, Olesya Ilashchuk, was also present and expressed deep gratitude for the solidarity the delegation had shown. The specialists, including Solomon Passy, founder and president of the Atlantic Club of Bulgaria, Maxim Behar, vice president of the organization, Velizar Shalamanov, director "Defense Policy", and Ivan Anchev, co-chairman of the Atlantic Council of Bulgaria, shared that the visit included both high-level meetings in Kyiv and participation in the Independence Day celebrations and the Prayer Breakfast held in the Ukrainian capital. They were joined by former Minister of Defense Todor Tagarev, as well as the well-known bTV journalist and host Svetoslav Ivanov.

Personal testimonies of the horror of war

To feel a war, you have to be there,

said Ivan Anchev, emphasizing that the visit had strengthened his "belief in the ultimate victory of the Ukrainian people." He emphatically stressed that this was not just a slogan, but his "deep conviction." Maxim Behar spoke about the exceptional luck the delegation had. Although the situation was relatively calm during their stay, thanks to the presence of high-ranking foreign guests such as US President Donald Trump's envoy and the Prime Minister of Canada, danger was only a step away. "Right after we left, a Russian missile destroyed a shopping mall that was 200-250 meters from our hotel," Behar reported. Solomon Passy also confirmed that their escape was a matter of luck. "The bombs fell hours after we left and that was luck," he said. Passy expressed admiration for the hosts' good organization, which is especially impressive in a military conflict, and emphasized the remarkable "rise in national spirit and faith in the future" that he felt among Ukrainians.

Beyond the front line: terrorist attacks and information warfare

Velizar Shalamanov presented a critical and in-depth analysis of the conflict, describing it as consisting of multiple fronts. He stated that in addition to the visible war on the front line, a second, "terrorist" war is being waged against civilian targets and residential buildings, which is a clear violation of international norms for conducting military operations. Parallel to these brutal attacks against the civilian population, he also pointed to a third front – information warfare. "Faith holds these people together and they withstand the most brutal aggression Europe has known for at least the last 80 years," Shalamanov concluded, emphasizing the resilience and determination of the Ukrainian people.

The delegation unanimously expressed their belief that despite the enormous challenges and relentless attacks, the Ukrainian nation is united by a strong spirit and an unwavering faith in its future victory. Their testimonies reveal the brutal reality of Russian aggression, which continues to destroy lives and infrastructure, hours after the cameras turn off and foreign delegations leave.