Slovakia reopens criminal case over donation of fighter jets, air defense systems to Ukraine
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Slovakia's Prosecutor General Maros Zilinka said on Oct. 30 that he had reopened a criminal case against former Prime Minister Eduard Heger and former Defense Minister Jaroslav Nad over their decision to donate Slovakia's fleet of MiG-29 fighter jets and Soviet-era KUB air defense systems to Ukraine in spring 2023.
Slovakia's caretaker government, headed by Heger, approved the donation of 13 MiG-29 fighter jets and part of the country's KUB air defense systems to Ukraine in March 2023. All 13 jets had been delivered by April that year, making Slovakia the first country to send fighter aircraft to Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.
Prime Minister Robert Fico — widely seen as sympathetic to Moscow — has long criticized Western military aid to Ukraine and the defense assistance provided by the previous Slovak government. In June 2024, his administration filed a criminal complaint against Heger and Nad over the jet transfer.
The defense ministry accused the two of sabotage, abuse of power, and mismanagement of public property — allegations both Heger and Nad have denied. Current Defense Minister Robert Kalinak also accused his predecessor of "treason."
The investigation had been closed by Bratislava regional prosecutor Rastislav Remeta in February. On Nov. 10, 2025, the Bratislava prosecutor's office said Slovakia's transfer of military aid to Ukraine did not constitute a criminal offense.
Zilinka said on Oct. 30 that the previous investigation had been "closed prematurely," prompting him to reopen the case.
"During the preparatory proceedings, the facts were not established to the extent necessary to make a decision," Zilinka said.
Zilinka reassigned prosecutorial supervision of the case from Bratislava to a regional prosecutor in Trencin to ensure that sufficient evidence is gathered.
The MiG-29 is a fourth-generation fighter jet designed in the Soviet Union, meant to establish air superiority and provide front-line air defense. Both Ukrainian and Russian forces use the fighter jet in their air forces.
The KUB, also known as the 2K12 Kub or SA-6 Gainful, is a Soviet-era, medium-range surface-to-air missile system designed to intercept aircraft and other aerial targets. It uses radar-guided missiles and was developed to protect ground forces and military facilities from air attacks.
The system is mobile and typically consists of radar-equipped vehicles and missile launchers, allowing it to provide air defense cover for troops and strategic sites.
