The Sofia City Court (SCC) issued an order on Thursday, leaving two Ukrainian ex-servicemen in indefinite custody after they were detained in Bulgaria and subsequently charged with espionage. The ruling, which was reported Friday, stated that the case is appealable before a higher court. The SCC panel determined that there was sufficient evidence to support the charges against the two men.
Given the severity of the alleged offenses, the court cited a risk that the individuals might abscond or commit further offenses. Should they be convicted, the men face potential sentences ranging from 10 to 20 years in prison, or life imprisonment, potentially without commutation. The case proceedings were temporarily adjourned following a motion by the defense team to conduct necessary medical certifications.
The two individuals were initially detained in Bulgaria near a military installation on January 12, 2026. They have been identified as Oleksiy Timofeev, 41, originally from Zaporizhzhia, who served as a lieutenant in the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) before retiring due to injury. The second man is Roman Zozulya, 32, from Vasylkiv, who served in the AFU assault forces and retired after sustaining an injury from a high-explosive shell to the head.
Currently, both men are reported to be temporarily residing in Guardamar del Segura, Alicante Province, Spain.
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