In a recent press briefing related to the investigation into the murder of businessman Aleksei Petrov, Sofia city prosecutor Iliana Kirilova revealed a significant hurdle faced by investigators. The phone belonging to Petrov, who was fatally shot in August in Sofia's "Dragalevtsi" district, remains locked and inaccessible.

Kirilova conveyed that efforts to unlock the businessman's phone had been futile, stating that Bulgaria lacks the necessary technology for such decryption. In a bid to resolve this impasse, the prosecutor's office has reached out to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for assistance.

While disclosing the challenge faced in decoding the device, Kirilova highlighted that even after consulting with the FBI, the likelihood of decrypting a phone with a disconnected battery is slim. However, there is hope that the FBI's specialized equipment and expertise might aid in accessing the information from the phone.

The prosecutor refrained from revealing the specific type of mobile device involved but expressed optimism about potential collaboration with the FBI to retrieve crucial data from the device.

On 16 August 2023, Petrov was shot with a rifle while on a walk in Sofia, and died immediately. He was 61 years old.