(Reuters) – Slovakia has donated five Soviet-designed Mi-series military helicopters and thousands of Grad multiple-rocket launcher rockets to Ukraine, its defence minister said on Thursday.
“Glad to confirm that thousands of #Slovak 122mm Grad rockets and 5 Mi series helicopters have been safely donated to #Ukraine armed forces,” Jaroslav Nad tweeted after a meeting of NATO and other western defence ministers in Brussels.
The shipment includes four M1-17 and one Mi-2 helicopter, he said, adding that those have already been replaced in the Slovak armed forces by U.S.-made UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters.
A NATO member and Ukraine’s western neighbour, Slovakia has strongly supported Ukraine’s defence against Russia’s invasion.
It has previously donated other military equipment and ammunition, including the S-300 air defence system.
It has also agreed to sell eight new Zuzana 2 self-propelled howitzers to Ukraine.
(Reporting by Jan Lopatka in Prague; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)
