Slovakia’s defense ministry announced Saturday that the Czech Republic and Poland will protect the airspace of neighboring Slovakia as the NATO member country destroys its Russian-made MiG-29 fighter jets.
The agreement on the protection of Slovakian airspace was signed on Saturday by the Slovak Defense Minister Jaroslav Nad with his colleagues from the Czech Republic, Jana Chernochova, and Mariusz Blaszczak, from Poland, on Saturday, Agerpres reports.
“The agreement will enter into force on September 1, when Slovakia’s MiG-29 fighter jets will be discontinued,” Defense Ministry spokeswoman Martina Kakaschykova said.
During the day, the ministry announced that it would decommission the MiGs because their maintenance has become too expensive and because Russian personnel are gradually leaving Slovakia.
In April, Slovak Prime Minister Eduard Heger said that his country could send MiG-29s to Ukraine, but no details were given.
On August 14, Nad denied the information that Slovakia had already transferred the devices to Ukraine, adding that the final decision had not yet been made.
The Czech Republic and Poland will protect Slovakia’s airspace until US F-16 fighter jets are delivered to Slovakia to replace the MiG-29. Their acquisition was completed in 2018, and delivery is expected in 2024.
Source: Hot News RO
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