US Sanctions Three Bulgarian Companies Over Alleged Support for Russian Military

Three Bulgarian companies have been sanctioned by the United States for providing support to Russia's military industry. According to lists released by the US Department of State and Treasury, the companies supplied aviation components and other goods used in Russia's ongoing military operations in Ukraine, as reported by BNR.

The State Department and the Treasury included around 400 entities and individuals on the sanctions list, with most based in China, Hong Kong, and India. Among the Bulgarian companies listed is AIR LEO M AND E OOD, located in Varna, which allegedly sold microelectronics and aviation parts to Russian firms in November 2023. The company's owner, Vesselin Isakov, stated that he first learned of the sanctions through media reports.

Isakov also operates a similarly named company, Air Leo, in the United Arab Emirates, which is also on the US sanctions list. This UAE-based company reportedly supplied Russian entities with aviation components valued at 190,000 dollars between March 2023 and March 2024, according to the US Department of State.

Two other Bulgarian companies, Mirex BG Ltd. and GNO Investment Ltd., both owned by a Turkish businessman, were also named in the US Treasury sanctions. US authorities claim that the businessman, through contracts with Russian government-linked entities, facilitated demonstrations of electronic warfare systems in Russia and supported the production of equipment for Russian defense companies on Turkish soil.