Acting Minister of Defense of Slovakia Yaroslav Nagy signed an agreement with Ukraine on the transfer to Kyiv of 13 Soviet-made MiG-29 fighters and two Kub air defense systems.
Nagy noted that thanks to Slovak technologies, Ukraine will be able to protect as many human lives as possible.
The Slovak Ministry of Defense also stressed that the donation of military equipment to Kiev meets the foreign policy interests of Bratislava and complies with the general principles of international law.
The fact that the Slovak government approved the transfer of the MiG-29 to Ukraine became known on Friday, March 17. In all likelihood, we are talking about ten fighters that were in service with Slovakia until September last year, and three aircraft that have already been withdrawn from service. They are used for parts.
According to Nagy, the aircraft transferred to Ukraine are estimated at $400 million. In compensation for the fighter jets and part of the missile system, Bratislava will receive 900 million euros from the European Peace Fund and $700 million worth of modern American technology.
Poland also announced the delivery of four MiG-29s to Ukraine.
- Ukraine has been asking for combat aircraft almost since the beginning of the large-scale Russian invasion. Poland and Slovakia have long announced the possibility of such deliveries, but did not officially announce them, waiting for the initiative to be coordinated with the Western allies. Washington claims that the supply of fighters is the competence of the authorities of a particular country. The United States itself has not announced its intention to supply Ukraine with its combat aircraft, in particular the F-16, in the foreseeable future.
- Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the intentions of Slovakia and Poland to supply fighter jets to Ukraine “reminiscent of attempts to dispose of old unnecessary equipment.” According to him, the planes “are subject to destruction”, and their delivery will not change the course of hostilities.
Source: svoboda
