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Home » Black Ops & Intel » Bulgarian Peasants vs French Intelligence Operatives

Bulgarian Peasants vs French Intelligence Operatives

by Iassen Donov · December 2, 2012 · Posted In: Black Ops & Intel
Bulgarian Peasants vs French Intelligence Operatives
Before I start off with this delicious French roast I want to clear up a few misconceptions about myself as this pertains to the article. Regardless of popular belief, my name is actually NOT an American one (surprising, no?). I was born in Bulgaria and moved to the States in 1992 at the wee little age of eight. So when I saw this gem of a story a couple of weeks ago it made my year. Quite possibly my decade.

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Map of BulgariaOriginally it was only posted on a single news source so I wanted to wait it out before talking about it here on SOFREP. It was a story just too good to be true and I didn’t want to get caught doing bad journalism. Well behold, my SOFREP readers, this in fact did happen and was confirmed by France’s Defense Ministry!

About a month ago on the night of October 15th, five French citizens found themselves just outside of Pleven, Bulgaria masquerading as “extreme sports enthusiasts.” In reality they were all agents of France’s Directorate-General for External Security or simply DGSE; the French version of the CIA.

The DGSEThey were on a training mission which some theorize revolved around a nearby nuclear power plant. Two of the agents infiltrated via Romania in the North by either a glider or parachute (both accounts are floating around). Their mission as we know it was to rendezvous with three other DGSE agents who flew into the country using fake passports via Sofia International Airport. That’s about as far as they got.

Enter the Tsonev brothers; Slavi and Vasko. The brothers stumbled upon the French intelligence operatives in the middle of the night. Thinking them for thieves out to steal their crops, the two brothers took off and returned with a third man, a retired police officer. The brothers, armed with two wooden boards, and the officer with a 1950s Makarov pistol, surprised the agents and surrounded their vehicle.

Knowing my Bulgarian brethren, the follow-on “scuffle” was unavoidable.

In the end two French agents were shot (one in the foot and the other in the leg) and a third suffered a broken nose. The remaining two managed to escape on foot under the cover of darkness. The unharmed villagers confiscated computers, diving equipment, professional cameras, and even a parachute in the vehicle. After receiving medical treatment and a follow on interrogation by police, the three agents were immediately whisked away on a special flight back to Paris courtesy of the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry.

I can only assume how the After Action Report went back in France:

“Team Leader: Well, Pierre and Jacques were shot in the leg by an old guy with a Makarov, and Francois took a two-by-four to the face. Michel and myself ran away into the woods. And all of our equipment was stolen by two farmers.”



I can’t wait for the movie.

Iassen, out.

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JHR
JHR 5pts like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 2 Like

Thank You for This Article! Anything Bulgarian....I am IN. My partner at work is from Bulgaria. He is younger than me, but we have the same fighting styles and mindset. He can't drive for shit though, but he goes fast. Reading this article, gives me new insight to Vlad and why I trust him so much. I Love Bulgaria.

 

There is a funny storry about a DGSE agent on a raft, going down a river and a paddle that smacked hi m over the head. I think France, Germany, USA were competing for the same human trafficking target. USA won.

chrishutch13
chrishutch13 5pts like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 3 Like

This isn't nearly as funny a story as this, Iassen, but I think it's interesting how I was introduced to a couple of Vietnam-era Rangers.

 

I was having an email exchange with a Bulgarian gentleman I do business with and he noticed a quote at the bottom of one of my emails related to the Rangers. I have various quotes in my email signature block. He asked me about it and I told him about my background. He told me one of his good friends was a Ranger. I don't remember the exact story but basically it was that his childhood friend escaped the Soviet Union shortly out of high school, went to the US and joined the military. Hmmm... now, that might be an interesting story. His name is Lazar Lazarov (aka "The Mad Russian"): http://oftheirownaccord.com/.

 

Through my business colleague's "online" introduction, I shared some emails with both Mr. Lazarov and Mr. Dolan. It was a roundabout way to meet some fellow Rangers for sure.    

momengineer
momengineer 5pts like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 2 Like

You know, articles like this are one of the many reasons I am glad I stumbled onto SOFREP!  I wonder if "a country boy can survive" has been translated into Bulgarian?? Sounds like these farmers fit the bill....

50run50gun
50run50gun 5pts like.author.displayName 1 Like

Finally for around to reading this article. Great story!

SEAN SPOONTS
SEAN SPOONTS 5pts like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 4 Like

Probably a good idea for the French to have a fresh look at their training TTPs. They haven't learned much since the Rainbow Warrior debacle in Auckland back in 85'.. Not really surprised they got smoked out by the Bulgis. During the Cold War the Bulgarians had a very effective foreign intelligence service that was known for being brutal and ruthless. Its was the KDS that killed Bulgarian dissident Georgi Markov in London with a poison tipped umbrella in 1978. They were also very successful in wiping out Turkish and Macedonian nationalism with "Trust" operations. They would set up phony recruiting organizations overseas to entice emigres into returning to Bulgaria to fight for the independence of their ethnic minorities from the government and then kill them when they arrived. Like I said, brutal and ruthless. Drawn from a civilian population like the "neighborhood counter intelligence watch" that apparently has been stood up in Plevin you can see why they were so effective.

GeologistCpl
GeologistCpl 5pts like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 3 Like

I wouldn't jump to a quick conlusion that they're incapable or hilarious. In ops like these, luck is always a nasty evil, and something I always taught my platoon members: locals (civilian or mil) always have an advantage over you in unkown terrain no matter how prepared or capable you are. Don't forget the random Bedhouin bulldozer driver that compromised Bravo Two Zero patrol back in the Iraqi Desert.that lead to the death of 2 and capture of 4 of the best SOF operators on the world.

usapatriotonthemove
usapatriotonthemove 5pts like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 3 Like

Dang, sounds like a new SOFREP series...."When missions go bad"  Typically, you never hear from the operators again.  They got off easy...lol 

HM1 (FMF) Ret.
HM1 (FMF) Ret. 5pts like.author.displayName 1 Like

So Bulgaria not only makes my favorite AK's, but likes to beat up on incompetent French Foreign Service folks? So how much is a retirement villa?

MedicSteve2
MedicSteve2 5pts like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 2 Like

Gotta remember: "Burn After Reading" is closer to accurate than any of the Bourne films

ajgamble
ajgamble 5pts like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 4 Like

Classic! I'm surprised the Frogs didn't wave the white flag at the first sign of trouble

13thBama
13thBama 5pts like.author.displayName 1 Like

This episode reminds me of this classic: http://youtu.be/9V7zbWNznbs

 

Damocles
Damocles 5pts like.author.displayName 1 Like

How about how French agents were found by a Neighbourhood watch group in New Zealand in 1985?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinking_of_the_Rainbow_Warrior

Apparently the French Lonely Planet guide to New Zealand has a special section about 'Why New Zealanders Hate the French' because of this incident.

Chris Okuley
Chris Okuley 5pts like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 2 Like

Home team advantage rule applied, apparently. So hilarious!

StormR
StormR 5pts like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 2 Like

ROFL - what a great story Lassen!   Oh my, I'm sure the French agents were hoping the earth would open up and swallow them before their boss got to them :)  

JHR
JHR 5pts

 @StormR You know Storm:-) This shit REALLY happens. Its humiliating. I am so in love with Bulgaria:-)

 

ajkmidget96
ajkmidget96 5pts like.author.displayName 1 Like

 "The unharmed villagers confiscated computers..."

 

well, to be fair to the french, this was a training exercise, good on them for not shooting back at the civillians

Old PH2
Old PH2 moderator 5pts like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 5 Like

I must say this, the above picture of Rowan Atkinson is INSPIRED!  My kids LOVE not only Mr. Bean but both of the Johnny English Films!  If we could resurrect Peter Sellers and have him Rowan Atkinson, Harold Lloyd, Jacques Tati portray the French infiltrators, honestly it would be a BlockBuster!  I would recommend wearing Astronaut Diapers at the viewing!  Can you Imagine?  Iassen, what a treasure!  I'll need to get a call in to my wife's cousin in Sofia, he's a veteran of the Iraq-Iran War.  Serving for Saddam he was captured and became a POW, had it pretty good since he had family in Iran.  He's still got a bit of PTSD though, great guy, just a little edgy!    

CJCJ
CJCJ 5pts like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 2 Like

 @Old PH2 

Who knew the reports of Inspector Clouseau's death were greatly exaggerated? Apparently he simply transferred to DGSE. Next time he better take Cato with him as his PSD. I'm a big fan of Harold Lloyd as well - his brand of comedy is timeless.

Romadave
Romadave 5pts like.author.displayName 1 Like

When 'Compromise' is a bad thing. Ha! What kind of racket were those clowns making to attract attention as crop thieves?! Keep it down Jacque!

KineticFury
KineticFury 5pts

Did they return the equipment?

LauraKinCA
LauraKinCA 5pts like.author.displayName 1 Like

 @KineticFury

 I hope not - spoils of war.

Tango9
Tango9 moderator 5pts like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 5 Like

Someone(s) get an "F" in spying lol

LauraKinCA
LauraKinCA 5pts like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 4 Like

 @Tango9

 Entry level training exercise? Maybe they should have tried it on French soil first before taking their show abroad?

LauraKinCA
LauraKinCA 5pts like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 6 Like

Hooray for the farmers! The news clip video quoted the official saying that all 5 were released and sent back to France as "they hadn't committed any crimes", but wouldn't the infiltrating be violating borders? Probably Bulgarian officials either got something in return for their release behind the scenes, or the publicity of it was enough of a gloat to satisfy the govt.

ColonelProp
ColonelProp 5pts like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 7 Like

Never cross a farmer and his hard earned crops.... Great morning coffee story. Thanks

JHR
JHR 5pts like.author.displayName 1 Like

 @ColonelProp That deserves a "HELL YEAH" from a Farmgirl

 

JHR
JHR 5pts

 @ColonelProp Note to self....stock farm up on more ammo. 2x4's, etc.

 

dmalert
dmalert 5pts like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 2 Like

Great article!  Love French roasts.

MattFanning
MattFanning 5pts like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 4 Like

http://www.amazon.com/Inside-Jihad-My-Life-Qaeda/dp/0465023894/ref=la_B001IQUPZ0_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1354464898&sr=1-1The DGSE does not have a good track record.  Granted, we are only getting one side of this story but the guy in the above book was a well placed informant willing to travel to training camps in Afghanistan to spy for the DGSE.  His handler ignored him to the point that he had to walk into the local French embassy (I forget where he was at the time), explain the situation and have the local rep call up the chain till they got his guy.  Shoddy work all around.

JHR
JHR 5pts like.author.displayName 1 Like

 @MattFanning I think I'll stick up for DGSE. There are some good folks there.

 

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