In the State Department’s special report on Russian disinformation and the Kremlin’s propaganda ecosystem, the United States included the election of Radev and the BSP during the 2016 elections in our country.
According to the report, Leonid Reshetnikov, a retired lieutenant general in Russia’s foreign intelligence service, interfered in the 2016 Bulgarian presidential election just as Rumen Radev stepped down as air force commander and won the presidency shortly thereafter.
The department’s report also says that through BSP Reshetnikov tried to spread fake news and divulge exaggerated data from sociological polls.
Recall that in June 2016, a forum of the ruling party “United Russia” was held in Moscow, where Nikolay Malinov and the chairmen of the BSP and ABV, Kornelia Ninova and Georgi Parvanov were present. A little later, Reshetnikov’s institute commissioned a sociological study for the upcoming presidential elections in Bulgaria, which aims to find out the profile of the future BSP candidate.
The survey was conducted from 1 to 15 July 2016 and the results showed growing support for Russia and decreasing support for the US, EU and NATO. 12% declared themselves categorical Russophiles and 25% moderate. Two-thirds of the respondents said that “Bulgaria should restore and maintain friendly relations with Russia to the fullest”.
Finally, the profile of the “winning BSP candidate is described: More like a man. No more than 60 years old, with a successful career, but not an intellectual. Incorrupt. To have shown courage and fought for greater sovereignty in the framework of the EU and NATO.
Two weeks after the end of the study, on Aug. 1, Gen. Rumen Radev resigns as Air Force commander. Just a few days later, BSP and ABV are already talking about him as a presidential candidate. Rumen Radev fulfills all the recommendations of the research commissioned by Reshetnikov.
After the election won by Radev, Leonid Reshetnikov announced that he had actually discussed his candidacy with BSP leader Kornelia Ninova.
