Poland is ready to protect the airspace of Slovakia if it transfers planes to Ukraine

Ukrainian MiG-29 (illustrative photo)/wikimedia.org

Ukraine is one step closer to getting planes from Slovakia to protect its airspace. The transfer of aircraft to Ukraine was brought closer by the decision of Poland to protect the airspace of Slovakia.

In early April, Slovakia announced that they were ready to provide aircraft to Ukraine

Poland has said it is ready to defend Slovakian airspace when it stops using MiG-29 aircraft. This opens the way for a possible delivery of Soviet aircraft to Ukraine.

In early April, Slovakia announced that they were ready to provide Ukraine with aircraft to help our country protect itself from Russian shelling. One of the conditions for the transfer of the MiG-29 aircraft was the alternative protection of the airspace of Slovakia, which awaits the American F-16s.

Slovak Defense Minister Jaroslav Nagy, at a joint press conference with his Polish counterpart Mariusz Blaszczak, formally announced the launch of the process .

I received confirmation that Poland is ready to take care of the airspace of Slovakia from the moment when Slovakia decides to land the MiG-29 aircraft, Nagy said.

The Slovak minister noted that legislative measures are needed for this step, over which Slovakia is already working. At the same time, both ministers did not specify when Poland would start a mission in Slovakia.

The head of the Polish Ministry of Defense stressed that Poland could use the experience of protecting the airspace of the Baltic countries.

“These tasks will be carried out from the territory of Poland… As a rule, we will expand the scope of activities of the Polish duty group using F-16 aircraft,” Blashak said.

Ukraine needs aircraft to close the airspace< /h4>

• Since the beginning of the full-scale war, Ukraine has asked NATO to close its airspace so that Russia would not be able to bomb Ukrainian civilians. However, the Alliance refused to take this step, fearing a direct war with Russia.
• Because of this, Ukraine insisted on the supply of air defense and aviation systems in order to independently repel Russian attacks. However, the partners hesitated with this decision. The West fears that Russia will regard the transfer of aircraft to Ukraine as entry into the war.
• One of the advantages of Russia in the war against Ukraine is aviation, which the occupiers have more. President Volodymyr Zelensky reported that Ukraine has not yet received fighter jets from partners, but knows when this will happen.