Internet news site, bourgas.ru, situated in the Bulgarian Black Sea coast city of Burgas, and catering to speakers of Russian as their native language, on August 13, 2025, reported that in the near future Bulgaria and Italy would begin construction of a new NATO military base in Bulgaria’s Yambol Province.

Bulgaria’s Minister of Defense, in announcing the joint Bulgaria-Italy project to host a brigade-strength multinational force under the auspices of NATO, whose Support and Procurement Agency would fund the project, noted that the plan incorporated sports and training facilities as well as living quarters.

Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) reacted to the building of the new NATO base in Bulgaria on August 29, 2025 through a statement made by MFA spokesperson, Maria Zakharova.

Zakharova’s remarks accused NATO of escalating the military-political situation in Europe and undermining trust in the area of the Black Sea.

In Zakharova’s opinion, the planned installation was evidence that NATO was pursuing the “aggressive militarization of the European continent,” from Finland to Bulgaria.

The Sofia, [Bulgaria], news agency, novinite.com, on August 15, 2025, published an English language article entitled Bulgaria Begins Construction of NATO Base in Kabile to Strengthen Eastern Flank. In it, the point was made that “the decision to expand military infrastructure in Bulgaria aligns with NATO’s regional strategy formulated during its 2023 Vilnius summit, following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The alliance aims to strengthen deterrence along its eastern flank, particularly in countries bordering the Black Sea. The new base will complement ongoing efforts to enhance defense readiness and regional security.” [emboldened text LOC’s]

Noting that the initial cost was estimated to be around €100 million, the article drew attention to the fact that “the multinational battle group currently stationed in Bulgaria comprises approximately 1,300 personnel, with Italy serving as the framework country contributing over 700 troops and more than 50 pieces of military equipment. Additional contributors include the United States, providing a company of Stryker armored combat vehicles, the United Kingdom’s Royal Irish Regiment, Greece with an anti-tank platoon, Bulgaria’s 42nd Mechanized Battalion, and soldiers from Turkey, North Macedonia, Montenegro, and Albania.” 

The Bulgarian internet news service, bourgas.ru, article follows [translated from Russian by LOC]:

According to Bulgarian Minister of Defense, Atanas Zapryanov, the NATO military brigade, numbering more than three thousand persons, will be accommodated in barracks near the village Kabile (Cabyle 42°32′N 26°29′E) in Yambol Province.

Bulgaria plans to construct a complex of buildings for accommodating the multinational brigade. The decision on construction was made today at a meeting of the Council of Ministers.

Military infrastructure will be constructed in our country, designated for accommodating a multinational military group of NATO.

The government stated that “the construction of military structures on Kabile military district territory is a strategic step on the path to strengthening the defense capability of the Republic of Bulgaria and NATO. It will provide the necessary infrastructure for the deployment and support of a multinational military group as well as the possibility of its expansion.”

We will remember, in June, Defense Minister Zapryanov had announced that the base project would be assigned to the NATO Support and Procurement Agency. At the time, he had also informed of the signing of the contract for the project.

The base, which is calculated for 3,000 persons, will have sports and training facilities as well as living quarters.

The internet news service for the Russian news agency TASS published the following article, The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs: The expansion of a NATO contingent in Bulgaria leads to an escalation of the situation in the EU, on August 29, 2025. [Translated from Russian by LOC]

Maria Zakharova, MFA official representative, informed that on August 13, the Bulgarian Council of Ministers approved the plan of an intergovernmental agreement with Italy to cooperate in the area of defense.

The expansion of the North Atlantic alliance in Bulgaria will cause an escalation of the military-political situation in Europe and will lead to undermining trust in the Black Sea region, according to Zakharova’s readout.

She stressed that “[s]uch actions of NATO (strengthening its presence in Bulgaria – TASS editor) is leading to a further escalation of the military-political situation in Europe and it is guaranteed that it will not contribute to the strengthening of trust in the Black Sea region.”

She informed that on August 13, the Bulgarian Council of Ministers approved the plan of an intergovernmental agreement with Italy on cooperation in the area of defense. According to Zakharova, the plan proposes joint construction and use of military installations in the area of Kabile, where, led by Italy, the deployment of a multinational military and tactical group of NATO is planned. The plan calls for largescale infrastructure development, including the construction of new barracks and communications routes.

Zakharova continued, “In practical terms, what we’re talking about is the implementation of alliance’s plans to increase the numerical size of the group in Bulgaria from its present-day just over 1,000 to 1,200 to 5,000 military personnel, that is, to brigade level. This once again confirms that, on the basis of nothing at all, NATO is continuing its line for an aggressive militarization of the European continent.”

She also recalled that earlier, work was beginning for expanding the NATO contingent in the Baltic countries and its deployment in Finland, noting, “Now its arm has reached as far as Bulgaria.”