Slovakia confirms delivery of MiG-29 fighters to Ukraine, takes more Leopard tanks
All 13 promised MiG-29s donated by Slovakia have now arrived in Ukraine. (Photo: Slovak MoD)
Slovakia has all handed over all 13 announced MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine. After four aircraft were flown in by Ukrainian pilots in March, the remaining nine have now successfully delivered, it was announced on Monday.
‘This transfer was carried out by land with the greatest possible security in mind,’ Slovak Defence Minister Jaroslav Nad noted.
Slovakia originally took delivery of 14 MiG-29s from Russia between 1993 and 1996.
Related Articles
Poland to send MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine within days
Slovakia to get US attack helicopters after donating jets to Ukraine
Refurbished Leopard 1 tanks will soon be ready for Ukraine
Slovak forces have also received another Leopard 2A4 tank in Germany in accordance with the planned delivery schedule. This is the second MBT of a donation of 15 by Berlin under the ‘Ringtausch’ scheme to replace 30 decommissioned BVP-1 infantry fighting vehicles supplied to Ukraine.
The other 13 tanks will be delivered at regular intervals until the end of the year. The equipment is undergoing comprehensive overhaul by Rheinmetall Landsysteme before being handed over.
The first of the delivered tanks has already passed tests to verify tactical and technical parameters at the Military Technical and Testing Institute in Záhorie.
Slovak crews will be trained by members of the Bundeswehr at Lešť training centre this summer.
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Defence Notes
-
Thales: deployment speed to determine winners in ‘production versus production’ era
At its technology summit in London, attended by Shephard, Thales UK examined the importance of speed to delivery, the growing focus on cross-domain capabilities and how procurement reform could be crucial for future battlefield advantage.
-
Orchestrating operational readiness across every defence domain
Are all systems ready for the next mission? Have upgrades been applied? Are all assets aligned to deploy together, on time and fully prepared? In modern defence operations, readiness is no longer measured platform by platform. It is measured by how well people, assets, data and decisions move together — across land, sea and air.
-
Global tensions drive defence supply chain scrutiny
Governments worldwide are scrambling to decouple defence supply chains from dependency upon strategic rivals, but countries could struggle to do it all themselves.
-
How deepening AI usage can boost efficiency and maximise effects for forces
Saab has outlined how it is using artificial intelligence to make training more like electronic gaming, while the UK’s Power Size Technologies is applying the same technology to better evaluate and design vehicle capability, moving AI-enabled innovation further upstream from the frontline.
-
From systems integrator to multi-domain solutions provider (video)
Philipp von Brandenstein, Head of Corporate Communications at Rheinmetall, explains how Eurosatory 2026 marked a new stage in the company's evolution.