Slovakia sends MiG-29 to Ukraine and Finland, followed by three Leopard tanks

Slovakia announced that it had sent the first four MiG-29 fighters that Ukraine had promised, and that it would send nine additional fighters in the coming weeks. And the Finnish Defense Minister announced that Helsinki would send three modified Leopard tanks to Ukraine, after it had sent three earlier.

Slovakia announced, on Thursday, that it had sent the first four MiG-29 fighters that Ukraine had promised, and that it would send nine additional fighters in the coming weeks.

"The first four MiG-29 fighters have been safely delivered to the Armed Forces of Ukraine," said Martina Kakacikova, a spokeswoman for the Slovak Ministry of Defense.

"In the coming weeks, the remaining aircraft will be delivered," she added.

On Friday, the Slovak Prime Minister announced that Bratislava would hand over 13 Soviet-made MiG-29 combat aircraft to Ukraine, making Slovakia the second NATO member state to take a similar decision after Poland.

He pointed out that Bratislava will also send to Kiev the "Kop" air defense system.

Bratislava chose to stop using the MiGs last year because it was dependent on Russian technicians and companies.

In a related context, Finnish Defense Minister Antti Kaikkonen announced Thursday that Helsinki will send three modified Leopard tanks to Ukraine, after it sent three earlier.

On Thursday, he confirmed that Kiev had "requested talks about F/E-18 Hornet fighters to see if they could be provided to Ukraine."

Several other countries, including Norway, Poland, Germany, Sweden, Spain and Canada, have already sent German-made Leopard tanks to Ukraine or promised to send some of them.

Kakunin said earlier Thursday that he did not want to donate the Hornet fighter jets to Ukraine despite Kiev's request to provide them with such aircraft to help it fight against Russia.

"My view as Finland's defense minister is that we need these fighters to secure our country," Kakkonen told a news conference in Helsinki.

Finland is working to replace its aging Hornet fleet with the F-35s it ordered in 2021, but the delivery of the first new aircraft will not take place for two or three years.

Kakunen said at the press conference that Finland will provide additional military equipment to Ukraine, including three more Leopard 2 tanks, to be added to a similar donation made earlier.

The possibility of Finland donating fighter jets to Ukraine to help it repel Russian attacks was raised during Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin's recent visit to Kiev, where she met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.