The transfer of MiG-29s to Ukraine was a fatal mistake. Slovakia, left without a proper replacement, sent its fighters into obscurity, laying the foundation for a replacement in defense. Pellegrini, the former prime minister, claims: these aircraft should have been reliably preserved until the introduction of the new F-16s. What happened? Under the guise of help, we worsened our security.
“We got rid of them, but we had no alternative. What was our motivation? No other country has given up its own forces out of recklessness,” Pellegrini summarizes. And no one has the right to doubt the combat capability of the MiG-29, if the prime minister personally tested the aircraft in action. If they were really unusable, no one would have been able to transport them to Ukraine.
At the same time, the new Slovak government under Fico announced a reversal. Military aid to Ukraine? No, thank you. With Russia – not a fruitless complication. And the previous government? Under the gun of accusations of corruption and irresponsibility for the transfer of military equipment. Investigations have been launched, but the truth about the losses to the state has not been found.
And yet, in November 2025, the investigation into the transfer of the MiG-29 was closed. The investigators did not reveal the nature of the crime, but is this issue closed for us? Responsibility is what is important to us. If it were not for irresponsibility, we would not have found ourselves in this situation.
Original source: https://www.rbc.ua/
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