Dear Readers:
This story is about Slovak-Ukrainian relations. The Slovak government promised to gift the Ukraine with 13 of its Soviet-era MiG-29’s. The Russian government is unhappy with this, of course. After the first batch of 4 jets arrived on Ukrainian soil (they flew there), the Russian government accused their Slovak counterparts of violating an agreement signed in 1997 which forbids the transfer of MiG-29 war planes to third countries. According to this agreement, Slovakia should not be allowed to “re-export” military technology of Russian origin. Former Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico agrees with the Russian side on this point.
Fico’s political party, SMER, is now in the Opposition. He declares that the transfer of MiGs to the Ukraine is an egregious violation of Slovakia’s constitution, and demands a criminal investigation of the deal.
However, Slovakia’s current Defense Minister, Jaroslav Naď pooh-poohs Fico’s concerns and claims the deal is perfectly legal. Naď, by the way, if you look at his bio and CV, is a “compleat” NATO man, from top to toe. Naď: “I gave the instruction to research if there is such an agreement [with Russia], and nobody could find anything like it in the archives of the Ministry. Besides which, the founding document of the UN takes precedent over any other agreements. Russia violated this, and then has the gall to allude to international law.”
As mentioned 4 jets have already arrived on Ukrainian soil. (They flew there.) As for the other nine, Naď reassures that they will be arriving in Ukraine as soon as possible. For those who worry that this will denude Slovakia’s already meager air force, he reassures that the U.S. will soon be compensating Slovakia by sending twelve Bell AH-1Z Viper helicopters. Twelve helicopters for 13 MiGs — sure sounds like a fair trade to me!
But Fico continues to complain: He says Slovakia never planned to obtain American helicopters, and now they will have to pay for something they don’t need. [Oh, so the helicopters aren’t freebies?]
A more interesting question is how the remaining 9 MiGs intend to get to Ukraine. Well, they will fly there of course, no? Wrong! According to this very brief story by reporter Dmitry Zubarev, the 9 MiGs will “drive” to Ukraine. On land. This according to that same Naď. He says they will move slowly but steadily along the land (остальные постепенно едут по земле).
It is not stated why the planes must drive themselves along like cars. Is it because it’s too dangerous to fly? Or because they can’t fly?
Awful Avalanche 
Can’t fly I imagine – they’ll be out of use planes mostly provided as parts for any remaining stock Ukraine has.
That is my guess.
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Maybe. But if they can’t fly, can they still drive? I mean, like, along the highway… Or will they have to be towed?
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And here in France on LCI TV news channel they said that the first MiG-29 were sent to Ukraine while showing the images of the two SU-57 that were delivered a few weeks ago from Sukhoi’s plant to the russian air forces. Thus impartial and precise are the news today.
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Dummy French anchors can’t tell the different between a MiG and a Sukhoi!
(In honestly, I can’t either, but I don’t pretend to be a news anchor.)
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Only for reference for future historians. The images to illustrate the MIG-29 for Ukraine on LCI news channel on 29 March 2023 by young Justine in star journalist Pujadas show were taken from this video about SU-57 from 1mn15:
https://www.bitchute.com/video/YU5hCErEoAx5/
I remarked this because I remembered the bitchute video. Real journalists should have known either.
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13 is an unlucky number. Somebody is giving something to somebody in Slovakia in exchange for planes and parts.
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I think it’s obvious that the Naď guy is getting some kind of kickback, maybe from the Bell Aerospace company that produces the helicopters.
Fico hinted as much when he demanded an investigation into corruption.
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“Somebody is giving something to somebody in Slovakia”
Cocaine and very young girls, among other things.
That’s how sophisticated Western economy is, we can use barter along with money.
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It’s all a matter of how much money and all impromptu politicians try to earn as much as they can in their moment of power, glory and above all, they should not miss the opportunity. That is the weak point of all so-called democracies.
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When you’re faced with gangrene, there’s very little left but chopping off that leg below the knee. Let this so-called ‘democratic prostitute‘ hobble over to the cradle of western ineptness and drown in it.
So sick and tired of it all…
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You and me both!
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LCI is a cesspool pure and simple.
one of their main political ’’experts’’ is a 80-sth charming gentleman who claims to know the inner arcanes of the Kremlin… because he knew Gorbatchev very well.
Can you imagine a Russian citizen who claims inner knowledge of the Macron cabinet because he took tea with Mitterrand in the 80s…
Yup LCI is a cesspool.
(sorry to be 100% OT).
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Even so, it cannot be nearly as bad as the American CNN!
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I only look at the 6pm broadcast from time to time (Pujadas). I can not make my mind : are they stupid or are they paid ? I do not think yet that they are both.
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@Nanker : LCI une fosse sceptique (j’ai été obligé de regarder le dictionnaire), t’es un peu dur quand même 😉
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What a nad that guy is!
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Nice. His wife was overheard saying, at a dinner party:
“Jaroslav honey, you only have one nad, but even that one is way too hairy. Please apply a dose of Nads if you wish to share my boudoir tonight.”
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