Slovakian Prime Minister Eduard Heger on Friday confirmed that Slovakia provided Ukraine with the S-300 surface-to-air missile system.
“I would like to confirm that Slovakia has provided #Ukraine with an air-defense system S-300. The Ukrainian nation is bravely defending its sovereign country and us too. It is our duty to help, not to stay put and be ignorant to the loss of human lives under Russia’s aggression,” Eduard Heger said.
In a release Friday, the Ministry of Defense of the Slovak Republic said this comes in reaction to the request of Ukraine for assistance in its exercise of self-defense in line with Article 51 of the UN Charter as a direct consequence of armed aggression by Russia.
Also noted is that the assistance provided by the Slovak Republic is sole of defensive nature in order to support the self-defense capabilities of Ukraine and the protection of innocent lives from further aggression by Putin’s regime.
Defense Minister Jaroslav Naď said: “Security of the Slovak Republic and our citizens is our highest priority. That is why we decided to make this decision in the moment, when we have the adequate replacement for the S-300 system, as we had stated before. Fourth battery of the Patriot system, one of the most modern air-defence systems, provided by our Allies, will be deployed in Slovakia. Together, four batteries of the Patriot system will cover the territory of the Slovak Republic. Due to the technical condition, limited options of maintenance and age of the S-300 system, the deployment of the fourth battery of the Patriot system is great news for Slovakia and at the same time tremendous help for Ukraine.”
The S-300 is a series of highly capable, long-range surface-to-air missile complexes first deployed in the USSR in 1979.