Czech Republic sends attack helicopters to Ukraine

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 The Czech Republic has decided to provide aid to Ukraine with Mi-24 attack helicopters.


After a meeting between senior defense officials of the two countries on May 23, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin praised the Czech government's decision to donate Mi-24 attack helicopters to Ukraine.


This is a move that analysts see as a significant step forward in Western military support for the administration of President Volodymyr Zelensky.


According to the latest statistics, the Czech army only owns 7 Soviet-designed Mi-24D helicopters. The Ministry of Defense of this country also delivered all these aircraft in 2019. Therefore, it is very likely that all 7 Mi-24D helicopters have been handed over to the Ukrainian side.


Mi-24 attack helicopters have been deployed to Ukraine in recent weeks as part of a Western effort to force the country's military to regain control of its airspace. Since the start of Russia's special military operation in Ukraine, a large number of Ukrainian fighters and military helicopters have been destroyed, resulting in the loss of all air superiority.


The Armed Forces of the Czech Republic owns 16 Mi-171S helicopters, 10 Mi-35P helicopters, 5 Mi-17s and 4 Mi-8s. According to Czech officials, the country can increase the supply of these helicopters to Ukraine, provided that Western countries agree to help the country replace the old equipment from the Soviet era with new ones. more modern helicopters.


In 2019, the Czech Republic signed a contract to buy 8 UH-1Y Venom multi-role helicopters and 4 AH-1Z Vipers attack helicopters with a total value of 646 million USD from the US. Delivery is expected to take place in 2024. However, with the delivery of old helicopters to Ukraine, Prague is urging Washington D.C to speed up the delivery of this shipment.


Since the Russian-Ukrainian conflict broke out, the Czech Republic, along with Poland, have become the most powerful allies of the Zelensky administration in Europe. In April 2022, the Czech Republic became the first member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to provide tanks for Ukraine.


Czech and American officials also said Prague contributed a large portion of the 17,000 anti-tank weapons that NATO allies gave to Ukraine during the first two weeks of the conflict with Russia. Not only that, the Czech RM-70 multiple launch rocket system has been commissioned for the Ukrainian army and played an important role in counter-attacks to retake the territory of this force.

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