Inside Kyiv Visit: PM Leads Bulgarian Delegation to War-Ravaged Sites and Memorials

Prime Minister Andrey Gyurov of Bulgaria and Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko paid tribute in Kyiv to the victims of the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine during an official visit by a Bulgarian government delegation. The trip includes several ministers and marks a high-level show of solidarity with Ukraine.

During the visit, Gyurov took part in commemorative actions and, according to government footage, also inspected residential buildings in Kyiv that were destroyed in Russian air and drone strikes. The delegation expressed sympathy for the victims and support for affected families as part of the official program.

The Bulgarian Prime Minister is also expected to hold a series of political meetings in Kyiv, including talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. Discussions are expected to focus on bilateral cooperation, with possible agreements also on the agenda, although details remain undisclosed due to security considerations.

Foreign Minister Nadezhda Neynsky also visited a heavily damaged residential building in the Sviatoshyn district, which was struck during the conflict. The Bulgarian delegation described the war’s impact on civilians as a daily reality for Ukrainians, emphasizing expressions of solidarity during the visit.

The Bulgarian government delegation arrived in Kyiv by train and includes ministers responsible for foreign affairs, defense, energy, transport, and education. Alongside Neynsky, the group features Defense Minister Atanas Zapryanov, Energy Minister Traycho Traykov, Transport Minister Korman Ismailov, and Education Minister Sergey Ignatov. The visit also includes planned meetings with the Verkhovna Rada and parliamentary speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk, as well as discussions with representatives of the Bulgarian community in Ukraine, described as the largest Bulgarian diaspora outside the country.

The program began with a wreath-laying ceremony at a memorial honoring Ukrainian soldiers killed in the war, followed by visits to residential areas destroyed in missile and drone attacks. One of the buildings inspected had been struck after residents initially sought shelter during an air raid warning, only to return to their homes before a subsequent strike hit the structure.

According to Ukrainian officials, one such attack on a residential building resulted in significant civilian casualties, including children, with dozens of residents killed. Authorities described similar incidents in which civilians emerged from shelters after alerts were lifted, only for renewed strikes to hit residential blocks.

Another building visited by the delegation was reportedly destroyed in a later drone attack, also resulting in multiple civilian deaths, including minors. Deputy Minister Artem Rybchenko briefed the Bulgarian side on the circumstances of the strikes, noting that air raid procedures had been followed by residents before the attacks occurred.

The visit is described as the first by a Bulgarian acting prime minister to Kyiv since the start of the war more than four years ago, underscoring its political significance amid continued military escalation and ongoing diplomatic engagement between Bulgaria and Ukraine.