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Slovakia's top general visits Ukraine's southern forces command

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Slovakia's top general visits Ukraine's southern forces command
Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic General Daniel Zmeko paid a visit to the operational-strategic group of troops "Tavria," Aug. 17, 2023. (Source: General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces/Facebook)

General Daniel Zmeko, chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic, paid a visit to the Tavria group of troops fighting in Ukraine's south, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported on Aug. 17.

"During the meeting with defenders from the Defense Forces of Ukraine, the Ukrainian side thanked Slovakia for the material and technical assistance provided to the Armed Forces of Ukraine," the Ukrainian military wrote on social media.

"In particular, the effectiveness of combat use of weapons provided by the Slovak Republic was noted."

General Valerii Zaluzhnyi, the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, met his Slovak counterpart last week during Zemko's visit to the country.

The two senior officers discussed the situation at the front and the needs of Ukraine's army, and Zaluzhnyi thanked the Slovak general for Bratislava's support against the Russian aggression, the Ukrainian commander wrote on his Telegram channel.

Slovakia, a Central European NATO and EU member, has provided Ukraine with both humanitarian and military support since the start of the full-scale invasion.

The military hardware provided to Kyiv included, among else, artillery, armored vehicles, air defenses, and most notably 13 Soviet-made MiG-29 fighter jets previously operated by the Slovak Air Force.

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Martin Fornusek

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Martin Fornusek is a reporter for the Kyiv Independent, specializing in international and regional politics, history, and disinformation. Based in Lviv, Martin often reports on international politics, with a focus on analyzing developments related to Ukraine and Russia. His career in journalism began in 2021 after graduating from Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, earning a Master's degree in Conflict and Democracy Studies. Martin has been invited to speak on Times Radio, France 24, Czech Television, and Radio Free Europe. He speaks English, Czech, and Ukrainian.

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