Slovakia becomes second NATO member to send MiG-29 jets to Ukraine
MiG-29 (Photo:REUTERS/Kacper Pempel)
Slovakia has approved the transfer of 13 Soviet MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine, Slovak newspaper Dennik N reported on March 17.
One day after fellow NATO member Poland opened the door by announcing the transfer of its own MiG-29 jets to Ukraine, Slovakia becomes the second NATO ally to provide Ukraine with crucial aviation aid.
“We’re providing fighter jets to Ukraine so that it can defend itself,” Heger said.
The decision was made “in a purely constitutional form,” said Slovakia’s acting Prime Minister Eduard Heger, noting that President Zuzana Čaputová had been informed of the move.
The transfer of MiG-29 jets to Ukraine would in no way threaten Slovakia’s defense, confirmed Slovak Armed Forces Chief of the General Staff, DanielZmeko.
Earlier, Polish President Andrzej Duda announced that Warsaw could give all its MiG-29 fighters to Ukraine. According to open sources, Poland has 22 such jets.
Duda announced on March 16 that his country would transfer the first four MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine in the coming days.
Poland has received positive signals from several countries concerning the transfer of MiG-29 jets to Ukraine, including from Slovakia, Polish government spokesperson Piotr Müller said on March 15.
Ukrainian Air Force spokesman Yuriy Ihnat said that providing Ukraine with MiG-29 fighter jets would be a major help, but they are unlikely to become game-changing at the front.
Ukraine needs a modern multi-purpose aircraft to gain air superiority and to strike ground targets, said Ihnat.
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