The Sofia City Court (SCC) placed two Ukrainian ex-servicemen in indefinite custody on Friday, following a ruling issued the previous day. The two men were detained in Bulgaria and are currently charged with espionage. This ruling, which is appealable before a higher court, was based on the SCC panel’s determination that sufficient evidence exists to support the charges brought against them.
The court noted that due to the gravity of the allegations, there is a risk that the two individuals might abscond or commit further offenses. Should they be convicted, the men face potential sentences ranging from 10 to 20 years in prison, life imprisonment, or life imprisonment without commutation. The case proceedings were adjourned temporarily following a motion filed by the defense to conduct necessary medical certifications.
The Ukrainians were initially detained in Bulgaria near a military installation on January 12, 2026. The men have been identified as Oleksiy Timofeev, 41, who was an Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) lieutenant and previously headed an unmanned aircraft systems department before retiring due to injury. The second individual is Roman Zozulya, 32, who served in the AFU assault forces before retiring after sustaining a head injury from a high-explosive shell.
Currently, both men are temporarily residing in Guardamar del Segura, within the Alicante Province of Spain.
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The Sofia City Court (SCC) placed two Ukrainian ex-servicemen in indefinite custody on Friday, following a ruling issued the day prior. The two men, who were detained in Bulgaria, are currently charge