Kalinak: Eight MiG-29s Flightworthy in 2022, They Weren't Old Wrecks

Bratislava, 11 February (TASR) - According to their flight logs, eight MiG-29 fighters were operational in 2022, Defence Minister Robert Kalinak (Smer-SD) declared at a press conference on Wednesday, rejecting claims that the aircraft donated to Ukraine were "scrap" or "old wrecks". Kalinak said that this contradicts statements by Bratislava regional prosecutor Rastislav Remeta, who had described the jets as having almost zero value. The government also acknowledged information from the Defence Ministry on criminal complaints filed with respect to the donation of military equipment to Ukraine. Kalinak said that he was disturbed to see in flight records that eight jets had been flying when the prosecutor claimed that only one was operational. "Either he's relying solely on what someone told him, in which case it is truly a scandalous investigation, or he deliberately concealed it, which may be an even worse case," he said. Law-enforcement authorities have closed three of four criminal investigations related to assistance to Ukraine during the previous electoral term. The cases concerning the donation of MiG-29 fighter jets, the S-300 air defence system and the termination of a contract with a Russian company servicing the jets were closed either by halting criminal proceedings or rejecting criminal complaints. Police continue to investigate the handover of technical documentation to Ukraine's military attache. Bratislava region prosecutor Rastislav Remeta informed the public about the developments at a press conference on 5 February. Former defence minister (2020-23) Jaroslav Nad welcomed the decision and said that he was proud of his former government, which, he said, had acted economically, lawfully and morally. The Defence Ministry responded by saying that the prosecutor was misleading people when presenting the information and announced further legal steps. mf/df