North Macedonia's government approves supply of combat helicopters to Ukraine

The Macedonian government decided on Wednesday evening to supply a certain number of combat helicopters to Ukraine, as previously announced by Defence Minister Slavjanka Petrovska.

Source: European Pravda, citing Fokus

Quote: "The government has considered and taken note of the information about the need to conclude a protocol on the transfer of aircraft (helicopters) between the ministries of defence of North Macedonia and Ukraine and adopted the relevant protocol," the government in Skopje said.

Although the decision did not specify the types of helicopters, Defence Minister Slavjanka Petrovska has previously spoken about the intention to transfer Mi-24 helicopters to Ukraine, which Skopje purchased from Kyiv in 2001.

Out of the 12 Mi-24 attack helicopters and four Mi-8/17 multi-role helicopters in the country, only two of each type are currently in use.

These four helicopters are currently in service, and four more Mi-24Bs have been modernised over the past decade in cooperation with the Israeli company Elbit Systems. They have been adapted for interaction with NATO forces and are equipped with avionics that allow the use of night vision goggles (NVG) and the Aviators Head-Up Display (ANVIS/HUD) night vision system.

Background: 

• Last year in August, North Macedonia supplied four Su-25 attack aircraft to Ukraine, which it bought from Kyiv during the conflict in 2001. Also, North Macedonia handed over Soviet T-72 tanks to Ukraine, which it planned to decommission in the coming years.

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