The Lithuanian Ministry of Defense will donate a broken Aero L-39 Albatros training aircraft to the Ukrainian Armed Forces (AFU), writes Lithuanian portal Irytas
The Czechoslovak-made aircraft has not flown since 2019: it was decommissioned from the Lithuanian army and was to be sent for disposal. However, the Lithuanian Ministry of Defence later decided to send the aircraft instead of scrapping it as a gift to Kiev.
“It is currently being conserved and restored every six months to prevent the aircraft from deteriorating. In April 2021, the aircraft was scrapped”, – said Lithuanian army spokesman Major Gintautas Čunis.
It is currently unknown whether the Aero L-39 Albatros aircraft will be put on combat duty in the Ukrainian air force. Earlier it was reported that the UK would sell warships to Kiev that had been decommissioned for repairs.