The Ambassador of Russia in Sofia HE

Eleonora Mitrofanova speaks to bTV.

At a meeting with her yesterday afternoon, the prime minister demanded no insults to Bulgaria, and the Council of Ministers announced that Mitrofanova had apologized.

We remind you that on March 2, Bulgaria expelled two Russian diplomats who were accused of espionage.

And on March 3, the official greeting of Ambassador Mitrofanova on the occasion of the national holiday provoked violent public reactions.

Petkov summons Russian ambassador, Mitrofanova apologizes for "subterfuge" and comparison of March 3 with war in Ukraine

What did you talk about with Kiril Petkov?

We talked about what is happening now and about bilateral relations.

That's all I can say.

Why did Russia start the war with Ukraine?

Explain Russia's position.

You know, I think that Russia's position on the military operation in Ukraine was 10 times, if not more, explained by our leadership, by our Foreign Minister.

I was talking on TV.

Everyone listens but does not hear or understand.

Why did Russia attack a sovereign state?

First, this is not a war, but a military operation to liberate the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, which for eight years have been under the yoke of Ukraine and the atrocities of the Kiev regime.

No negotiations with Ukraine have taken place during these eight years.

The Minsk agreements, which could have been signed in those eight years and everything ended peacefully, were not respected, moreover - Kyiv gave them up, so what is happening is happening.

Does Russia still consider this war a special operation?

This is not a war, this is a special military operation.

How long will this war last, today is the 11th day?

Ukraine is not a small country and I think it will all be over soon.

You are a woman, a mother, do you watch the footage of refugees and all the people who suffer in Ukraine?

And in Kyiv, and in Odessa, and in Donetsk and in Lugansk?

I do not think that there is a person who would not suffer with all his heart and would not sympathize with these people.

And to the mothers whose sons from the Russian side also went to the front.

It is a great pity that Russia is fighting the regime in Ukraine.

Yet this is an inevitable

"Democratic Bulgaria" asked the Russian ambassador to leave Bulgaria

Under what conditions would peace be achieved?

When these two areas are completely liberated and when these Nazi formations are either destroyed or disbanded.

One of the conditions is Zelenski to resign?

I can't guess.

I do not know.

I do not think that Zelenski will bring peace to this country in the future.

You made an analogy between the Russo-Turkish War of 1878 and the war that Russia is now waging.

Russians, Ukrainians and Bulgarians take part in the army.

I want to say that at that time, those you call Ukrainians, Finns, Estonians and others, they were all part of the Russian Empire.

They were all Russians.

I want to remind you of an interesting detail, namely that in the Russian army they took only Orthodox.

People of other religions were not recruited into the Russian army.

Many people took part, but they were all part of the Russian Empire.    

What is happening in Ukraine at the moment is a limited operation aimed at liberating Donetsk and Luhansk and also destroying Ukraine's military potential, which has been directed entirely against the Russian Federation.

What did you mean by "Euro-Atlantic bases" and the fact that Bulgaria is a member of NATO and the EU.

Does this apply to Bulgaria, or were you not understood?  

Of course, I did not mean Bulgaria.

We have special relations with Bulgaria and they have always been so.

We know very well that our writing and Orthodoxy came from Bulgaria, we appreciate all this.

We have always had and still have special relations with Bulgaria.

You have to understand this perfectly.

Are you worried that Bulgarian politicians and former diplomats want you to be expelled from Bulgaria as a diplomat?

No.

If I leave, how will there be a dialogue, how will we talk if there are no diplomats?

This will be unproductive.

I would like to remind you that during the Second World War the diplomatic mission of the USSR worked here in Bulgaria, although we were from different countries on the front.

Your diplomats were expelled for espionage.

Why?

No such allegations of espionage have been made.

It was a demonstration.

What did you talk to the Prime Minister about?

We had a very nice and frank conversation.

I think we got along.

When to expect peace?

I think soon.

Eleonora Mitrofanova