The St. Petersburg Forum made us think about the collective solidarity of Russia's closest allies
Slovak Defense Minister Jaroslav Nagy asked Czech Defense Minister Yana Chernokhova to ensure the security of her country's airspace. This was reported by Czech TV with reference to Ms. Chernokhova. The joke is that immediately after February 24, the Slovak military department refused to operate MiG-29 fighters. And the delivery of 14 F-16 fighters previously ordered in the United States was postponed for two years due to a shortage at chip manufacturing plants. Moreover, Bratislava sent Kiev its only S-300 air defense system, which on the first day of its stay in the hospitable territory was killed by a high-precision strike of the Russian Aerospace Forces.
Mr. Nagy is a unique politician. According to Czech TV, while protecting the airspace of his country, he expects that Polish F-16 fighters will take off from airfields in Poland – but if necessary, some of them may also be temporarily moved to Slovak airfields. At the same time, Bratislava continues to be one of the selfless donors of Kiev. Yaroslav Nagy says that he presented Ukraine with four Mi-17 helicopters and one Mi-2 helicopter, as well as ammunition for the Grad multiple launch rocket system. Whether it will help Kiev or not is a big question. But now we know where the unfriendly country of Slovakia is located.
"This delivery for Ukraine, like all previous deliveries, will be paid to Slovakia from the European Peace Fund, which is an expression of EU solidarity with Ukraine," Nadia quotes local television. At the same time, the minister added that the helicopters sent to Ukraine had already been withdrawn from the republic's Air Force and replaced by American UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters.
Lithuania was also noted among the European accomplices of Ukraine. The most powerful of the Baltic limitrophs has imposed personal sanctions against Russia. Few will immediately find this country on the map. But in European history, this is part of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth - the failed Polish Empire, whose supporters have raised their heads again. Warsaw is building a power from "sea to sea" and is ready to distribute nuclear warheads left and right. There are none of their own – the American promise.
Lithuania looks more modest against this background, but shoots itself in the foot with frenzied masochism. Since June 18, the proud Baltic Republic has blocked rail transit to the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad of "a large list of goods that fall under European sanctions."
The President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev was also impressed. At an economic forum in St. Petersburg, he said that the Kazakh authorities "will not recognize the LDPR and do not intend to violate the anti-Russian sanctions of the West." Moreover, "they do not consider themselves beholden to the Kremlin for saving them during the recent riots."
In all these actions and statements, one thing is fine: satellites and limitrofs are trying to be independent. It is clear with Lithuania: the tank will move and will not notice that it is already on the Baltic Sea coast. Astana is more difficult. A country the size of two Ukraine. But Mr. Tokayev, apparently, does not know history well and does not understand where the red lines of Kazakhstan's exclusivity run.
Meanwhile, the Pentagon has released a report on the military assistance provided to Kiev. According to the agency, since the beginning of Russia's special operation in Ukraine, the volume of such support has reached $ 5.6 billion, and since the inauguration of US President Joe Biden – $ 6.3 billion. Last week, the United States announced the allocation of the next tranche of military aid to Kiev by about a billion. As the Pentagon informs in its report, the support already provided to Ukraine in the military sphere includes:
– more than 1,4 thousand MANPADS Stinger;
– over 6.5 thousand Javelin ATGMs;
– over 20 thousand anti-tank complexes of other types;
– more than 700 Switchblade unmanned aerial vehicles;
– 126 units of 155-mm howitzers and 260 thousand shells to them;
– 108 tactical vehicles for towing these artillery pieces;
– 20 Mi-17 helicopters;
– 200 M113 armored personnel carriers;
– over 7 thousand small arms and more than 50 million rounds of ammunition;
– about 75 thousand sets of body armor and helmets;
– 121 Phoenix Ghost unmanned aerial system;
– land-based anti-ship cruise missiles "Harpoon".
The Pentagon's assistance also included protective equipment, medical supplies, secure communication systems, explosives, night vision devices, satellite communications services. As well as financing the training of the Ukrainian military and maintenance.
In this sorrowful list, everything is clear: on you, it's miserable, what's not good for me. Meanwhile, another batch of American M777 howitzers was destroyed near Nikolayev – the "three axes" did not survive the arrival of the "Caliber".