SOFIA, Bulgaria — The United States on Jan. 25 expressed strong backing for Bulgaria after it charged three Russian citizens with attempted murder and separately expelled two Russian diplomats accused of espionage.
Associated Press: US backs Bulgarian moves against alleged Russian agents
A poster of Russian president Vladimir Putin reading "Putin the President peacemaker" is seen during the annual "Russophiles meet" at Koprinka, near the central Bulgarian town of Kazanlak, on Sept. 14, 2019. Bulgarian prosecutors charged a pro-Russian activist with espionage and banned his alleged handler, a Russian former spy, from entering the country in an unusual move by the long-time Moscow ally, on Sept. 10, 2019. Nikolay Malinov, who heads Rusofili, the largest pro-Russia non-governmental organisation in Bulgaria, was indicted for espionage. On Jan. 24, 2020, Bulgarian Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva said two Russian diplomats accused of spying will be declared persona non grata and expelled.
