The current assessment examines the organised (dis)information campaign led by pro-Kremlin influence networks against the development of offshore wind energy in Bulgaria. Although the attacks against the development of the sector began already in 2019, when the European Union identified wind energy as the cornerstone of its decarbonisation strategy, it was not before early 2024 that the campaign against offshore wind entered its “hot” phase. The trigger was the attempts of the Bulgarian policy-makers to adapt the country’s legal and regulatory framework to the needs of the sector.

The same pro-Kremlin networks of influence that have been sabotaging Bulgaria's economic and energy security for years have used political, media and civic mechanisms to manipulate public opinion, discredit legislative initiatives and undermine the public support for offshore wind. Key tactics include the dissemination of false claims about the environmental, economic and social risks associated with wind energy, spread by politicians, business associations and media platforms in a highly coordinated manner.