Ukraine asks Prague, Bratislava for arms repairs

By: 3 years ago

A 436th Aerial Port Squadron ramp services Airman stages a cargo loader with palletised ammunition, weapons and other equipment bound for Ukraine during a foreign military sales mission at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, U.S., January 24, 2022. REUTERS FILE PHOTO

PRAGUE — Ukraine has asked Prague and Bratislava to help it repair military technology damaged in combat during the Russian invasion, the Czech and Slovak defense ministries said Wednesday.

“Ukraine has asked the Czech Republic for help with the repairs of damaged technology,” Czech defense ministry spokeswoman Jana Zechmeisterova told AFP.

“The process and options of potential repairs are being discussed,” she added.

Slovak Defense Minister Jaroslav Nad told reporters on Wednesday Slovakia had also been addressed, and that the repairs would be done by private companies.

“If it happens, it will be on a standard commercial basis. The companies are private, they can’t work for free,” he added.

Czech media also said Prague had recently sent trains loaded with Soviet-made T72 tanks and armored vehicles to Ukraine on Monday, the first country to do so.

But official sources declined to confirm the information.

“I’m sorry, I can’t tell you more. There’s a war raging and we won’t make things easier for the killers with the letter ‘Z’,” tweeted Defense Minister Jana Cernochova.

“Believe me that we are sending fundamental military material to our Ukrainian friends, and we will continue to do that.”

A Nato member since 1999, the Czech Republic has supplied military material worth about 40 million euros ($45 million) to Ukraine since the Russian invasion started on February 24.

Slovakia joined Nato in 2004. Both countries that formed Czechoslovakia until a peaceful split in 1993 also joined the EU in that year.