The S-300 surface-to-air missile battery that Slovakia has delivered to Ukraine

@DefAviation ES 4·09·2022 · 21:11 0

The war crimes committed by Russian troops in Ukraine have finally led NATO to supply heavy weapons to the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

Ukraine rearms with numerous captured Russian vehicles: the numbers are huge
The main battle tanks and other vehicles that the Czech Republic is sending to Ukraine

Last Tuesday we saw the images of the T-72 main battle tanks and BMP-1 infantry fighting vehicles sent by the Czech Republic to Ukraine. Its neighbors in Slovakia have not wanted to be outdone, and have sent their S-300 long-range surface-to-air missile battery, an old model (dating from the 1980s). Slovakia had a battery of the S-300 PMU variant, with 45 5V55KD missiles. Ukraine had 4 batteries before the invasion. According to Oryxspioenkop.com, since February 24 the Russians have destroyed 21 launchers and 5 Ukrainian radars of this anti-aircraft system.

This Friday, the Slovak Ministry of Defense published a video showing the S-300 sent to Ukraine, noting that next week 4 Patriot missile batteries (from the United States) will arrive on Slovak territory to replace the S-300, that have not been modernized since 1987, with which the Slovak Air Force, which is the operator of these systems, gains handsomely, although it has not been specified whether the Patriots will be operated by the US or by Slovakia.

Likewise, today it has become known that Ukraine could buy 16 Zuzana 155 mm self-propelled artillery vehicles from Slovakia, a model manufactured by this country and of which Ukraine had already bought another 16 units.

Another country that has been willing to deliver weapons of Russian origin to Ukraine is Cyprus, at the request of the US. The Cypriot National Guard has 82 T-80 main battle tanks, 43 BMP-3 infantry vehicles, 8 BREM-1 recovery vehicles, as well as BM-21 Grad and 9K37M1-2 Buk M1-2 surface-to-air missile launchers. In addition, Cyprus also uses the Slovak Zuzana ATPs. The Cypriot National Guard would have, with this delivery, a good opportunity to get more modern western equipment in return.