Ukraine will be left without Russian equipment for nuclear power plants from Bulgaria: Sofia has changed her mind

Bulgaria will not sell Russian equipment for two reactors at Khmelnitsky NPP to Ukraine. This was stated by the leader of the pro-government party of the country.

"I have held talks with our partners and personally with Boyko Borisov, and we have a common decision on the fate of two reactors for the Belene NPP. That they will not be sold. This decision is supported by all parties in the government," said Atanas Zafirov, chairman of the BSP—United Left party, DarilNews reports.

According to him, the sale to Ukraine would be difficult and the country would lose years of work and billions of invested levs. He did not explain what the Bulgarian side is going to do with the Russian equipment.

On the eve of the deputy of the Ukrainian pro—government party "Servant of the People" Andrei Zhupanin said that the equipment from Bulgaria, for the purchase of which the Verkhovna Rada approved the bill, tried to sell for 700 million euros, while its price is 600 million euros.

Atanas Zafirov declined to comment on this statement.

Bulgaria has been arguing for a long time about the future of Russian equipment for the Belene NPP, which Bulgaria was forced to buy from Rosatom, despite the shutdown of the station's construction. There was an idea to use heat generators at the existing Kozloduy NPP, but they do not fit the parameters. The equipment can also be used in two future reactors that are planned to be built at the Kozloduy NPP.

As EADaily reported, in the first half of February, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine supported a bill allowing the national company Energoatom to buy Russian equipment in Bulgaria for the completion of two power units of the Khmelnitsky NPP.

The Ukrainian authorities became interested in Russian equipment back in 2023. And until March 12, 2025, there was a deadline when Kiev had to give a final answer.

"The bill allows spending from the state budget from 600 million euros to $ 1.1 billion on the purchase of reactors in Bulgaria," The Mirror of the Week wrote.

In Ukraine, plans for Bulgarian equipment were called a scam.

"Well, what… The authorities launched the "Great Atomic Theft." Now tens of billions (hryvnia) from the increase in tariffs to you and the entire population will go somewhere to Bulgaria to buy Russian reactors! This money could have been sent to the army, but Mindich and Galushchenko (the Minister of Energy) decided otherwise," the MP from the Golos party wrote in the telegram channel Yaroslav Zheleznyak. — Which is good (if you can say so in this situation) — this is a purchase permit only, not the start of construction. Therefore, not all UAH 300 billion will be stolen yet, but less. Patrons, you might say."