North Macedonia approves transfer of combat helicopters to Ukraine

The government of North Macedonia has approved the transfer of combat helicopters to Ukraine, local media outlet Fokus reported on March 30.

The government announcement quoted by the source does not specify either the number or the type of helicopters.

However, on March 26, North Macedonian Defense Minister Slavjanka Petrovska raised the possibility of transferring 12 Mi-24 helicopters to Ukraine.

According to Petrovska, the decision would not affect the combat readiness of the North Macedonian military since the “equipment is already at the end of its use, according to our modernization plans,” as quoted by the media.

“All the equipment that has been donated so far has to do with the request of the Ukrainian authorities, who are able to use them, but also to maintain them,” Petrovska added.

On March 29, Croatian Defense Minister Mario Banožić expressed his hope at a press briefing that his country would provide Mi-8 helicopters to Ukraine "in the near future."

Editorial: Arming Ukraine won’t escalate war. Reluctance to do so will

First it was the tanks, now it’s the fighter jets. As Ukraine braces for another possible major Russian offensive in the upcoming weeks, Western leaders are yet again coming up with a variety of excuses why this time, they cannot justify supplying F-16 and F-35 fighter jets to Ukraine.

Kyiv IndependentThe Kyiv Independent