Bulgarian civil association BOEC announced on February 9, 2023, that it discovered a small, secret Wagner Group base in the mountains near Kladnitsa village, Pernik region. BOEC leader Georgi Georgiev reported the presence of Wagner insignia, Russian flags, and emblems on the premises and warned of armed personnel associated with this sanctioned Russian paramilitary organization. The group has been sanctioned internationally and labeled terrorist by governments including the UK, US, and EU. BOEC filed a report with Bulgaria's Ministry of Interior, expressing concerns over the lack of government response despite the seriousness of the allegations. The Wagner Group's operations span Ukraine, Africa, and the Middle East, including contentious deployments in Mali where a recent Russian military convoy linked to Wagner forces was ambushed, causing multiple deaths and equipment losses. The activists’ claim highlighted potential Wagner expansion and terrorist network activity on Bulgarian soil, raising regional security concerns.

Bulgarian civil association BOEC announced on February 9, 2023, that it discovered a small, secret Wagner Group base in the mountains near Kladnitsa village, Pernik region. BOEC leader Georgi Georgiev reported the presence of Wagner insignia, Russian flags, and emblems on the premises and warned of armed personnel associated with this sanctioned Russian paramilitary organization. The group has been sanctioned internationally and labeled terrorist by governments including the UK, US, and EU. BOEC filed a report with Bulgaria's Ministry of Interior, expressing concerns over the lack of government response despite the seriousness of the allegations. The Wagner Group's operations span Ukraine, Africa, and the Middle East, including contentious deployments in Mali where a recent Russian military convoy linked to Wagner forces was ambushed, causing multiple deaths and equipment losses. The activists’ claim highlighted potential Wagner expansion and terrorist network activity on Bulgarian soil, raising regional security concerns.