Local civilians walk past a tank destroyed during heavy fighting in an area controlled by Russian-backed separatist forces in Mariupol, Ukraine, on April 19, 2022. (source: TASR/AP)
Slovakia’s Konštrukta-Defence, a state enterprise, will repair Ukrainian military vehicles.
“We are talking about dozens of armoured BRDM-2 vehicles,” Martina Kovaľ Kakaščíková, a spokesperson for the Defence Ministry, told the TASR newswire. She did not specify the final number of vehicles the firm would service and modernise.“We are talking about dozens of armoured BRDM-2 vehicles,” Martina Kovaľ Kakaščíková, a spokesperson for the Defence Ministry, told the TASR newswire. She did not specify the final number of vehicles the firm would service and modernise.
The country has thus joined the Czech Republic, which will repair Ukrainian tanks. Ukraine approached Bulgaria with a similar request a few days ago.
Slovak Defence Minister Jaroslav Naď first mentioned a commercial cooperation that could involve the servicing of Ukrainian military equipment by Slovak defence industry firms in early April. Ukraine then approached the ministry.
Government officials, including Prime Minister Eduard Heger, have repeatedly said that Slovakia would continue supporting Ukraine in different ways. So far, the Slovak government has provided humanitarian and military assistance worth €130 million, including an S-300 air defence system.
Moldava welcomes the contract
Konštrukta-Defence, which has its office in the western Slovakia town of Dubnica nad Váhom, has been involved in the defence industry since 1953.
Four years ago, the company opened its maintenance and repair centre in Moldava nad Bodvou, eastern Slovakia. In mid-April, the ministry announced the completion of the facility's extensive reconstruction.
Moldava nad Bodvou mayor Slavomír Borovský told the Korzár website on May 3 that he received information about the signed contract between Slovakia and Ukraine. He also confirmed that Ukraine’s armoured vehicles would be serviced in the town.
“This industry has a long history in the town,” the mayor added, welcoming this kind of cooperation. However, he did not say when the first vehicles could be delivered to Moldava nad Bodvou.
Today, a central hall at the repair centre is used to repair the RM-70 MODULAR rocket launch systems and the 155 ShKH Zuzana 2000 and Zuzana 2 artillery systems.
Talks over howitzers
The company opened an assembly hall in Lieskovec, central Slovakia, in 2019 where Zuzana 2 howitzers are manufactured.
The Defence Ministry is in talks with Ukraine over the sale of Zuzana 2 Slovak howitzers.
“If we reach an agreement, we are ready to prioritise the delivery of this equipment to Ukraine before it is delivered to the Slovak Armed Forces,” Minister Naď said.
Slovakia owns different Soviet military equipment that could be used to support Ukraine, including jets. PM Heger believes they could be of use in Ukraine. However, Ukraine has not asked for the jets.
