Defence Ministry

President Xi Jinping announced on Sept. 3 he would cut troop levels by 300,000 as China held its biggest display of military might in a parade to commemorate victory over Japan in World War Two, an event shunned by most Western leaders.

Six Bulgarian Air Force MiG-29 fighter jets will have their engines overhauled in Poland under an intergovernmental letter of intent signed in Sofia on Friday.

Bulgaria's Defence Ministry said on Friday it is considering sending army troops to the country's borders to help police prevent a potential surge in migrant influx, the Defence Ministry said on Friday.

The Bulgarian government will decide at its regular meeting on Wednesday whether to approve the contract devised by the Defence Ministry on the repair of the engines of MiG-29 fighter jets by Poland.

The contract, which is entitled "draft decision for approval of a draft agreement between Bulgaria and Poland for cooperation in the military area", comes tenth on the agenda.

Convoys transporting military equipment could cause delays to the traffic on sections of the Hemus motorway on Friday evening.

The equipment will be transported for participation in the planned international military training Shabla 2015.

The transport of the equipment will take place between 18:00 o'clock on Friday until 6.00 a.m. on Saturday.

The Czech Army may deploy up to 2,600 troops at the country's borders if a large-scale influx of refugees leads to an emergency situation, CTK news agency reported on Wednesday, citing a Defence Ministry report.

At least 12 people were killed during a nearly 24-hour siege of a hotel in central Mali seized by suspected Islamist gunmen that ended on August 8 as security forces stormed the building and released some of the United Nations workers trapped inside. 

A Bulgarian Air Force helicopter has helped contain a wildfire near Lesovo village, a checkpoint on the border with Turkey, the Defence Ministry announced on Tuesday.

Lesovo is not under threat from the flames, according to the head of the Fire Department in Yambol Region Yordan Sabev, Focus news agency reported.

A Bulgarian Air Force Pilatus PC-12 transport aircraft has landed on its belly at Graf Ignatievo airfield after its landing gear failed, the Defence Ministry said on Wednesday.

The crew has suffered no injuries, the ministry said in a statement.

The district governor of Bulgaria's Haskovo Dobri Belivanov has requested aid from the Defence Ministry in extinguishing the wildfire raging between the villages of Bryagovo and Ostar kamak.

A military unit has been dispatched to the area and is already lending support to the crews of firefighters.