Slovakia to Ground MiG-29 Jets in Preparation for Transferring Them to Ukraine

Our Bureau
07:54 AM, May 5, 2022
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Slovak Air Force MiG-29 Jets

Slovakia looks to be preparing to transfer its MiG-29 jets to Ukraine as it has announced the grounding of its Soviet-era aircraft ahead of Poland looking after the protection of its airspace.

If the MiG-29 transfer does take place, Kyiv will get a much-needed shot in the arm to counter Russia's air superiority. Moscow launched 240 air sorties on the night of April 4, delivering bombs and missiles to Ukrainian infrastructure targets, a Pentagon official said during a background briefing to reporters yesterday.

The announcement was made when Slovak Defence Minister Jaroslav Naď welcomed Polish Minister of National Defence Mariusz Błaszczak to the Ministry of Defence in a full military honors ceremony April 29.

No sooner will the Slovak Air Force fleet of MiG-29 fighter jets be grounded than Poland will be ready to protect SVK airspace – Slovakia has received confirmation of this from the Polish side, a statement from the Slovak MoD said.

“I’m very pleased that once the legislative measures which we are going to start working on immediately have been put in place, Poland will be looking after the security of our airspace until the ordered F-16 fighter jects arrive in Slovakia from the USA,” said Minister Naď, noting that the primary aim is to have Polish aircraft operating out of a Polish base. Thanks to its proximity to Slovakia, this solution has a geographical advantage.

The MoD statement fell short of clarifying Slovakia's position on transferring its MiG-29 aircraft to Ukraine.

On April 26, during the Ukraine Security Consultative Group event at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Slovak Defence Minister had announced his country's intention to transfer its S-300 air defense system and the possible sale of Slovakia's Zuzana 2 Self-propelled Gun Howitzers (SpGHs) to Ukraine.

He further said, “The Slovak Republic still owns different military equipment of Soviet provenance, which offers up options for giving timely support to Ukraine.”

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