Slovakia’s sending of MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine in 2023 was illegal and “legal measures” will be taken against former Defence Minister Jaroslav Nad’, the state secretary of the country’s military department, Igor Meliher, has said.
In March 2023, Jaroslav Nad’ announced the transfer of four MiG-29 fighter jets to Kiev and promised to send more equipment to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The Slovak Defence Ministry later said that 13 MiG fighter jets had been sent to Ukraine.
“MiG-29 fighter jets were sent to Ukraine illegally. I am preparing to take legal action against former Defence Minister Jaroslav Nad’. Today it turned out that there are no official materials from the Ministry of Defence that would entitle the former minister to take such a step. As a state official, I am obliged to correct mistakes made, and this is one of them,” Ihor Meliher wrote on Facebook.
The state secretary of the department explained that Nad’s expert analysis, which the former minister used to justify the need to supply Ukraine with MiG-29s, “does not exist”. In addition, he said, “the Constitution of Slovakia prohibits the resigning government to take such important steps in foreign policy”.
Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the prime ministers of Slovakia and Hungary, Robert Fico and Viktor Orban, were “pro-national” politicians.