Renewed Calls for Resignations in Bulgaria's Military Leadership After Fatal L-39 Crash

Dimitrina Popova, the wife of MiG-29 pilot Major Valentin Terziev, who died in 2021, has renewed her call for the resignation of Bulgaria's top military leadership via social media. Her appeal follows the tragic deaths of two military pilots on Friday near Graf Ignatievo involving the L-39 aircraft. Popova criticized the current Air Force leadership, led by the Chief of Defense, and questioned how many more lives would be lost under their watch, demanding accountability and action.

Major General Dimitar Petrov, the head of the Air Force, was asked about his potential resignation. He responded by describing the loss of his best friend as a personal punishment, underscoring the emotional toll of the incident. The Ministry of Defense has yet to announce dates for memorial services for Major Petko Dimitrov and Senior Lieutenant Vencislav Dunkin, pending the completion of official investigations. The black box of the L-39 training aircraft, which crashed on Friday, has been recovered and is under examination.

The aircraft in question had undergone repairs in June 2024 under a contract with its Czech manufacturer. In response to the crash, Sunday and Monday have been declared days of mourning within military structures, with flags flown at half-mast. Friday's incident has also been logged in the international aviation security database, which noted six accidents involving various modifications of the L-39 this year, three of which resulted in fatalities.