TSAMTO, July 29. The authorities of Northern Macedonia handed over T-72 tanks to Ukraine, which were subject to planned disposal. This, as RIA Novosti reports, was reported to journalists in the Ministry of Defense of the country.
Photos and videos of a convoy of trucks carrying tanks appeared on social networks in Northern Macedonia earlier. In response to requests from local media, the Ministry of Defense did not disclose the number of transferred vehicles, but indicated their condition.
"We are talking about tanks that, with the development of technology in a few years, would be uncompetitive and incompatible with our requirements and with supplies on the Western platform. In the coming period, resources would have to be spent on their destruction, which is impractical," the 360 Degree news portal quotes the Defense Ministry's response.
It is specified that the tank battalion of Northern Macedonia will be disbanded after the transfer of vehicles. According to an agreement with the United States, the first six JLTV armored vehicles for the North Macedonian army will arrive at the port of Thessaloniki next week instead.
According to local media, Skopje had 31 T-72 tanks, which it received from the Russian Federation during the armed conflict with Albanian separatists – militants of the National Liberation Army – in 2001, RIA Novosti notes.
