​ Leader of the Bulgarian Revival party thanked the DPR and Ru | DPR MFA

​ Leader of the Bulgarian Revival party thanked the DPR and Russia for saving compatriots

Kostadin Kostadinov, leader of the Revival political party represented in the Bulgarian parliament, expressed gratitude for evacuation of the Bulgarian crew of the Tzarevna ship from Mariupol.

Mr. Kostadinov noted that Ukraine used crew members as a human shield and did nothing to free them, while the Donetsk People's Republic and Russia forces after hostilities termination released the Bulgarian citizens.

"I am grateful to the Russian forces and the DPR forces for saving the lives of my compatriots. 144 years after the liberation of Bulgaria from Turkish slavery, we again had to wait for the Russians to liberate the Bulgarians," the party leader said.

On April 13, the DPR People’s Militia together with the Russian Armed Forces evacuated 15 crew members of the Tzarevna cargo ship: among them 14 citizens of the Republic of Bulgaria and one citizen of Ukraine. At the moment, the DPR Ministry of Foreign Affairs together with Russian colleagues is engaged in return of foreign sailors to their homeland.