Bulgaria is investigating the cause of a fire at a private defense company’s ammunition storage facility, which occurred overnight in central Bulgaria. The incident triggered a series of explosions but did not result in any injuries. Interior Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev said authorities are considering the possibility of external interference. The company involved, EMCO, claims the fire was an act of sabotage and insists that human error was not a factor in the incident. The fire took place at a facility near the village of Gorni Varpishta, about 170 kilometers (106 miles) east of Sofia, the capital. EMCO stated that the storage site had not been in use for months and had been inspected just 20 days ago, with full compliance with regulations confirmed. The company mentioned a pattern of similar incidents affecting Bulgarian defense firms since 2011, suggesting the latest fire is part of a broader trend of sabotage against the country’s defense industry. EMCO is urging Bulgaria, a NATO and EU member, to join international efforts to prevent and counter these attacks, especially as it is one of the countries most impacted by such actions. The company is run by Emilian Gebrev, a Bulgarian arms dealer who prosecutors allege has been targeted by Russian agents. In 2015, Gebrev, his son, and a company employee were poisoned in an alleged attempt on their lives. Three Russian nationals were later charged in absentia for the attempted murder. Bulgaria is a significant supplier of weapons to Ukraine, which has been resisting a full-scale Russian invasion since 2022. While the Bulgarian government has recently paused state-owned arms shipments to Ukraine, private defense companies continue to send military equipment. Russia appears to be increasing its sabotage activities across Europe, with recent incidents including a drone attack at Leipzig’s airport in Germany, which Germany blames on Russia. Moscow denied the claim, calling it "absurd." Similar suspicious fires have been reported at defense facilities in several European countries, with some blaming Russia for these attacks.