The Patriot air defence system at the Sliač military airport, central Slovakia, on April 27, 2022. (source: TASR)
Slovak air defence systems have registered an attack in the western part of Ukraine.
A Russian missile hit the Ukrainian Transcarpathian region on May 3, approximately 100 kilometres from the Slovak border. Defence Minister Jaroslav Naď (OĽaNO) admitted the close proximity of the attack has unnerved him.
“The attack was meant to destroy a railway station,” Naď said as quoted by the TASR newswire. “I must warn people to reconsider travelling from or back to Ukraine, especially by train.”
Interior Ministry responded with an urgent meeting on behalf of Minister Roman Mikulec (OĽaNO). The government says the situation is under control and there is no reason to panic. Yet, Slovakia should be prepared for such situations with detailed response plans.
Naď has warned the Russian Defence Ministry about the consequences of attacks beyond Ukrainian borders and the overlap of destruction in Slovakia’s territory. Repeating the similar mistake of an ill-planned attack with such an overlap would possibly trigger the activation of Article 5 of NATO, since attacking one member country is regarded as an attack on all members of the alliance.
