Slovakia has reopened the criminal investigation into the provision of military equipment to Ukraine in 2023. Prosecutor General Maroš Žilinka has reversed the decision to terminate the case and instructed the Trenčín Regional Prosecutor's Office to continue the proceedings.
„After reviewing the case, I came to the conclusion that the decision to terminate the criminal proceedings was issued prematurely“, said Žilinka. According to him, during the pre-trial proceedings, the facts were not clarified to the necessary extent, including with regard to the signs of the crimes.
The case concerns the donation of 13 MiG-29 fighters and parts of the “Kub“ anti-aircraft complexes to Ukraine. The decision was made by the interim Slovak government of Prime Minister Eduard Heger in March 2023, and all 13 aircraft were handed over by April of the same year.
The previous investigation was terminated in February
In February 2026, Bratislava prosecutor Rastislav Remeta announced that the proceedings had been terminated. He pointed out that the equipment was outdated, partially faulty and of limited practical value for the Slovak army, which did not have the necessary number of trained pilots and ammunition for it.
According to the prosecutor's office's position at the time, the donation of the aircraft and anti-aircraft systems did not constitute a crime. In September, the Slovak Prosecutor General's Office said that it had checked the actions of the police and prosecutor's office and determined them to be legal. However, on October 30, Žilinka ordered a new examination of the case.
Former minister denies the charges
The investigation was launched after political disputes surrounding the previous government's decision. The Ministry of Defense under Robert Fico linked the donation to alleged abuse of office, mismanagement of state property and sabotage. Former Defense Minister Jaroslav Nad denied the charges and said the equipment was provided in accordance with Slovak and international law.
The Trenčín Regional Prosecutor's Office must conduct additional procedural actions and assess whether the collected data is sufficient for a subsequent decision on the case.
Sources: tasr.sk, kyivindependent.com, en.interfax.com.ua