Prime Minister of Slovakia Robert Fico announced that the Italian SAMP/T air defense system will be withdrawn from the country.
He stated this in his video message, which is quoted by the Slovak Aktuality.
— I received a message from the Italian government that the Italian air defense system, which was loaned to us for a year, will be withdrawn from Slovakia because it is needed elsewhere location, — stated Fico.
According to him, Slovakia’s nuclear power plants and other strategic facilities will remain without protection.
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He added that the previous government “donated” Ukraine working Russian air defense system S-300.
— Then we had American Patriot systems for some time, they were also taken away, and now the Italians will also leave, — he stated.
The Italian SAMP/T air defense system replaced the American Patriot air defense system last year. Previously, Slovakia provided Ukraine with the S-300 air defense system after the full-scale Russian invasion in February 2022.
In July 2023, French-Italian SAMP/T air defense systems were deployed in Ukraine. The system was transferred to Ukraine as part of Italy's sixth military aid package, announced in February 2023, in agreement with France.
