Pro-Russian Sentiment on Display in Sofia as Bulgaria Marks Victory Day

Around 100 people gathered near Sofia’s Alexander Nevsky Cathedral on May 9 to commemorate Russia’s Victory Day, waving Russian flags, displaying images of President Vladimir Putin, and carrying portraits of Soviet World War II veterans as part of the “Immortal Regiment” procession.

The event, which took place near the Monument to the Unknown Soldier, coincided with a separate official ceremony attended by Bulgarian President Rumen Radev, who laid flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and later participated in Europe Day celebrations, during which the European Union flag was raised.

The Immortal Regiment march has been held in Bulgaria since 2016, originally to honor the war dead. However, critics argue it has increasingly served as a vehicle for pro-Kremlin messaging. Former Socialist Party MP Boris Tsvetkov rejected that notion, calling the procession an act of remembrance. Holding a Soviet-era red flag, he said, “This flag is not Putin’s.”

Despite his defense, many participants expressed clear support for Russia’s current leadership. One man carried a backpack bearing a sign that read, “Whether you like it or not, Russia is expanding.” Several voiced opposition to NATO and the European Union, blaming the West for the war in Ukraine and accusing it of waging a campaign against Orthodox Christianity.

Their remarks closely echoed those made by President Putin during Russia’s Victory Day parade in Moscow, where he portrayed the war in Ukraine as part of a broader historical struggle against Nazism and “Russophobia.”

Radev Criticizes EU Support for Ukraine

President Rumen Radev, a former air force commander known for his softer stance on Moscow, used the occasion to criticize the European Union’s continued support for Kiev. In a Facebook post on May 9, he described Ukraine’s chances of defeating Russia as “doomed,” adding that “pouring more weapons” into the conflict was only prolonging the suffering.

“Europe does not have its own vision for the end of the war and the establishment of peace,” Radev wrote. “The exact opposite is happening every day — even more victims, even more destruction, even more lost territories.”

Although the presidency in Bulgaria is largely ceremonial, Radev has emerged as a powerful political figure amid years of parliamentary gridlock. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, he has consistently opposed military aid to Kiev and has blamed European leaders for escalating the conflict.

His remarks have drawn sharp rebukes from Ukrainian officials. During a 2023 meeting in Sofia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticized Radev’s stance in a tense exchange caught on camera. “God forbid some tragedy should befall you and you should be in my place,” Zelenskyy said. “You would say: Putin, please grab Bulgarian territory?” The Bulgarian president then asked for the cameras to be turned off.