Slovak Prosecutor General Maroš Žilinka has ordered the reopening of criminal proceedings regarding the transfer of MiG-29 fighters and “Kub” anti-aircraft missile systems to Ukraine in 2023.
Zhilinka reported this on social media.
He stated that he had reviewed the decisions of the police investigator and subordinate prosecutors who had previously closed the case. The Prosecutor General concluded that the investigation had been terminated prematurely and that the investigators had not established all the circumstances necessary for a decision.
Žylinka instructed the Trenčín Regional Prosecutorʼs Office to reopen the criminal case and conduct a pre-trial investigation.
What preceded
In March 2023, the government of then-Slovak Prime Minister Eduard Heger approved the transfer of 13 MiG-29 fighters and two “Kub” air defense systems to Ukraine. Ukraine received the first four aircraft on March 23, and by mid-April, Slovakia had transferred all 13 fighters.
After Robert Fico returned to the post of Prime Minister in 2023, the new government began to review the previous governmentʼs decision on military aid to Ukraine. In 2024, the Slovak Ministry of Defense opened a criminal case against former Prime Minister Heger and Defense Minister Jaroslav Nad.
They were suspected of sabotage, abuse of power, and breach of duty in the management of state property. In particular, representatives of the new government claimed that the transfer of equipment to Ukraine could harm Slovakiaʼs defense capabilities.
The case was closed last fall — law enforcement officers found no signs of a crime. In particular, the prosecutorʼs office noted that the transferred equipment was outdated, partially unfit for combat, and Slovakia did not have enough pilots and missiles to use it.
On September 24, 2026, the Prosecutor Generalʼs Office of Slovakia confirmed that the former government legally transferred the equipment to Ukraine, and the closure of the case was correct.
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