Bulgarian civic activists have identified a heavily secured site allegedly connected to the Russian Wagner private military company near the village of Kladnitsa, raising immediate security questions within the European Union and NATO. The alleged paramilitary site was found in the Pernik region and promptly reported to the country’s interior ministry, with those present said to be wearing Wagner insignia.
Activist discovery and official report
The civic association BOETS, led by Georgi Georgiev, stated the facility was under enhanced guard with severely restricted access. Individuals at the location were observed wearing clothing bearing Wagner Group markings, and both Russian flags and Wagner symbols were visible on the building. The group submitted a formal report to Bulgaria’s Ministry of Interior detailing the presence of armed individuals with Wagner symbolism on Bulgarian territory. BOETS suggested some present could be current or former security service employees, potentially explaining why no action had yet been taken.
Political instability and electoral context
The discovery occurs against a backdrop of chronic political instability in Bulgaria, which has seen eight early parliamentary elections in five years. The constant rotation of governments has complicated strategic decision-making on security and foreign policy. The country is entering another electoral campaign amid heightened social polarisation, a situation analysts suggest creates an ideal environment for external interference. Upcoming elections could pave the way for a pro-European government, while pro-Russian forces see them as a chance to radically shift the country’s foreign policy course.
Wagner’s background and international sanctions
The Wagner Group emerged as an instrument of Russian security structures, closely linked to the Kremlin and used for operations where Moscow sought to avoid direct responsibility. Its mercenaries have operated in Mali, the Central African Republic, and Syria, providing military support to regimes and securing resource control. In the war against Ukraine, Wagner forces played a key role in the battle for Bakhmut. The group is under sanctions from both the United States and the European Union and has been repeatedly accused of grave crimes, including war crimes and human rights violations.
Broader hybrid warfare concerns
Russia’s activities in Bulgaria fit a wider pattern of hybrid warfare against the EU, combining information attacks with political interference, support for pro-Russian forces, and financing of radical movements. The European Commission has repeatedly identified Kremlin disinformation campaigns in Bulgaria as systematic and coordinated. The alleged physical presence of Wagner, a tool of Russian intelligence services used for destabilisation in Africa and the Middle East, signals a potential shift towards a more forceful dimension of interference within an EU member state.
Calls for investigation and alliance response
BOETS and security analysts urge Bulgarian authorities to conduct an immediate and transparent investigation into the reported Wagner-linked facility. The incident is viewed not as an isolated event but as part of a systemic threat to European security. Experts argue that enhanced counter-intelligence, monitoring of Russian influence networks, and protection of the electoral process must become priorities for EU and NATO members to counter such destabilising operations.
