General Rumen Radev wins in Bulgaria, pro-Russian, new and dangerous next crisis to EU and NATO

General Rumen Radev wins in Bulgaria, pro-Russian, new and dangerous next crisis to EU and NATO.

Rumen Georgiev Radev (Bulgarian: Румен Георгиев Радев) (born 20 June 1960) is a Bulgarian Major General of the Reserve and elected to be the fifth President of Bulgaria. Radev served as Commander of the Bulgarian Air Force.[2] He won the 2016 presidential election as an independent candidate supported by the Bulgarian Socialist Party.

Biography

Rumen Radev was born on 28 June 1960 in Karnobat. His family is from Slavyanovo, Haskovo Province “Slavic village”, In 1982, he graduated from the Mathematical School in Haskovo with a gold medal. He graduated from the Bulgarian Air Force University “Georgi Benkovski” in 1987 as the top graduate. In 1992, he graduated from the “Maxwell” Squadron Officer School in the United States. From 1994 to 1996, he studied at the Rakovski Defence and Staff College, where he was also the top graduate. He is a Doctor of Military Sciences in the field of improvement of tactical training of flight crew and simulation of air combat.

In 2003, he graduated from Air War College in Maxwell AFB in the United States as a Master of Strategic Studies with honors.

Military career

1987 – 1988: junior pilot in the 15th Fighter Aviation Regiment – Ravnets
1989 – 1990: unit deputy commander at the 15th Fighter Aviation Regiment – Ravnets
1990 – 1994: unit commander at the 15th Fighter Aviation Regiment – Ravnets
1996 – 1998: MiG-29 squadron commander at the Fifth fighter airbase – Ravnets
1998 – 1999: deputy commander for flight preparation at the Fifth fighter airbase – Ravnets
1999 – 2000: deputy commander for flight training at the Third fighter airbase – Graf Ignatievo
2000 – Study of the Air defence of the Republic of Bulgaria – NATO, Brussels
2000 – 2002: Chief of Staff of the Third fighter airbase – Graf Ignatievo
2003 – 2005: Chief of Staff of the Third Fighter Airbase – Graf Ignatievo
2005 – 2009: commander of the Third Fighter Airbase – Graf Ignatievo
2009 – 2014: Bulgarian Air Force deputy commander
2014 – 2016: Bulgarian Air Force commander

Flight information

Pilot I-st class.
Flight experience of L-29, L-39 fighter jets and MiG-15UTI, MiG-17, MiG-21, MiG-29.
Familiarization flights of the F-15, F-16, F/A-18 Hornet, Eurofighter Typhoon, SAAB Gripen.
Flown over 1400 hours.
In 2014, he organized aviation show “This we are!” and personally performed the “Bell” and “Pugachev’s Cobra” manoeuvres on a MiG-29.

Military ranks

1987 – Lieutenant
1990 – Lieutenant
1994 – Captain
1997 – Major
2000 – Colonel
2003 – Colonel
2007 – Brigadier General
2014 – Major General
Awards

Rumen Radev was awarded numerous medals and prizes, including the sign “For loyal service under the flags” – III degree, and Honorary sign of the Ministry of Defence “Saint George” – II degree.

Politics

In August 2016, the opposition Bulgarian Socialist Party and the Alternative for Bulgarian Revival (ABR) officially nominated Radev as a candidate for the November 2016 presidential election.

In the same month, ABR withdrew its presidential nomination of General Radev in favour of another person. On the first round of presidential election in Bulgaria, conducted on 6th November 2016, Rumen Radev managed to gain 27,30% of the votes. With this result he temporarily leads in the competition till the second round of the elections on 13th November 2016, when the electors have to chose between him and the other candidate – Tsetska Tsacheva.