‘Enough of Fico, Glory to Ukraine’ – Ukraine at War Update for Dec. 24
Also included are two Gepard self-propelled anti-aircraft guns with 65,000 rounds of ammunition; two TRML-4D air surveillance radar systems, and an undisclosed number of AIM-9L/I-1 Sidewinder missiles. The US-made air-to-air missiles are carried by fighter jets.
As for ground vehicles, the package includes 15 Leopard 1 A5 main battle tanks (following the delivery of 88 such tanks already), ammunition for Leopard 2 tanks, a Panzerhaubitze 2000 self-propelled howitzer and more than 50,000 rounds of 155 mm shells. Also packed in are 12 armored vehicles with kinetic defense systems, 30 MRAP vehicles with mine and ambush protection, five remotely operated demining systems, and approximately 4,500 anti-tank mines.
Among the other gifts rounding out the delivery are:
Seven Caracal transport helicopters Five AMPS helicopter self-defense systems and 15,000 mortar rounds 30 Vector drones with spare parts 30 RQ-35 Heidrun reconnaissance drones 14 Hornet XR reconnaissance drones 12 Zetros trucks Eight fuel tankers Small arms including 120 GMW grenade launchers, 200 MG4 machine guns and 420 MK 556 assault rifles, 80 HLR 338 sniper rifles, and 100 CR 308 rifles More than 4.3 million rounds of small arms ammunition.
Pro-Ukraine protesters demonstrate in Bratislava as Fico meets with Putin in Moscow
Two former prime ministers gathered with political activists in front of Slovakia’s government building in Bratislava on Monday to protest a meeting between their prime minister, Robert Fico, and Russian autocrat Vladimir Putin in Moscow.
Much like his Hungarian counterpart, Viktor Orban, Fico has been at loggerheads with his European Union colleagues over his close relationship with Putin, and his opposition to the EU’s provision of military aid to Ukraine.
The protest, called “Enough of Russia”, was put on by the Peace for Ukraine organization in response to Fico’s trip to Moscow, saying that the meeting strengthens Russian influence in Slovakia.
Fico said that one of the goals of his trip was to discuss the issue of Russian natural gas deliveries, on which Slovakia is overwhelmingly reliant.
Former prime ministers Igor Matovič and Eduard Heger joined other opposition leaders, artists, and Ukrainian refugees at the protest, where demonstrators shouted “Enough of Fico!”, “Glory to Ukraine!”, and called Fico a “traitor.”
Matovič founded Slovakia’s Ordinary People’s party, which put forth a populist, anti-elite platform that landed him the prime minister’s chair in March 2020. He was succeeded by one of his protégés, Heger, in April 2021. In May of 2023, their conservative party lost control of the government to the liberal progressives, and in October 2023, power was handed over to Fico’s mish-mash populist coalition of liberals and conservatives.
The leaders of Peace for Ukraine said that Fico may have violated Slovakian law by meeting with Putin, and by cooperating with Russia, and on Monday filed a complaint with the Prosecutor General’s office.
Source: John Moretti