OREANDA-NEWS. Russian diplomats who will be expelled from Bulgaria on charges of espionage are Deputy Trade Attache Sergey Nikolashin and Vadim Bykov. This was reported by the edition 24 Chasa, citing two independent sources.

According to the publication, Russsian diplomats could have been collecting classified information about plans to re-equip the Bulgarian army, about the latest weapons and, in particular, about the aircraft F16. There are also suspicions that they may be connected with frequent explosions at Bulgarian military factories. It is noted that Nikolashin and Bykov tried to establish contacts with key officials of the Bulgarian Ministry of Defense, on whom the issues of providing troops and concluding contracts with other countries depend.

On September 23, the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry declared two unnamed Russian diplomats personae non grata because of suspicion of espionage and gave them 72 hours to leave the country. The Bulgarian media wrote that, according to the Prosecutor’s Office, they have been conducting intelligence activities since 2016.