One battery of the Patriot air defence system will be withdrawn from Slovakia.
The Defence Ministry calls it a natural decision based on the assessment of the security situation in Slovakia and the wider region, the TASR newswire reported.
Germany and the Netherlands have offered Slovakia a Patriot system as part of NATO’s effort to strengthen the eastern flank of the alliance, which Slovakia is a part of, after Russia launched an all-out war in Ukraine in spring this year. Within an enhanced forward presence, some 2,100 NATO troops were approved to arrive in Slovakia by the parliament's approval in March this year.
Security situation has changed
Shortly afterwards, Slovakia donated its S-300 air defence system to Ukraine. The Defence Ministry has, however, stressed all along that the Patriot systems were not a replacement for the S-300 but rather another feature to protect Slovakia's airspace, a temporary one.
Now, the Defence Ministry announced that the multinational battle group of the NATO in Slovakia will shed one battery of the Patriot system, as well as some of the Dutch troops in the country as part of the enhanced forward presence.
The ministry stated that several other measures have been introduced since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which have led to strengthening Slovakia's defence, TASR reported.
Help in a crucial period
The departure of the Dutch system will not affect the defense capability of the Slovak Republic, and two German batteries will continue to perform its tasks, among other means. Kuchyňa pri Malacky airport also continues to house the Patriot system battery of the US armed forces.
If the situation requires, the Dutch system can be immediately re-deployed in Slovakia, the ministry said. If necessary, the number of Dutch soldiers can be increased again.
"We have agreed with the allies that they will be here as long as necessary. We have taken a number of security measures, thanks to which we can reduce the number of equipment and also allied soldiers," said Defence Minister Jaroslav Naď as quoted by TASR. He thanked the Netherlands for sending their soldiers for a crucial period.