The Czech Republic strongly supplied Mi-24 attack helicopters to Ukraine despite a strong warning from Russia

The US newspaper The Wall Street Journal commented that the above moves marked a significant escalation regarding the level of Western support for Ukraine in the conflict with Russia.

Soviet-designed Mi-24 helicopters – deployed to Ukraine recently in a broader effort to help the country regain its airspace, according to Defense.

However, the The Czech Republic is ready to deliver more Soviet-era helicopters to Ukraine in exchange for the US speeding up the supply of replacement UH-1Y Venom and AH-1Z Viper helicopters to Ukraine.

The Czech Republic has only 7 Mi-24D helicopters. According to Defense, it is possible that the Czech government has handed over all 7 helicopters of this type to Ukraine.

This “generous” move by the Czech Republic makes it the first country to send attack helicopters to Ukraine. Before that, in April, the Czech Republic also became the first country of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to send tanks to the country. Ukraine.

The United States and Czechoslovakia are also responsible for most of the 17,000 anti-tank weapons that NATO allies have sent to them, according to US and Czech officials. Ukraine in the first 2 weeks Russia conduct a military operation in Ukraine.

Czech officials say they can provide Ukraine more attack helicopters if other allies, such as the US, agree to replace the helicopters they have given to Kiev.

The Czech Armed Forces currently have 16 Mi-171S helicopters, 10 Mi-35P helicopters, 5 Mi-17s and 4 Mi-8s. Currently, Prague is asking the US to speed up the supply of UH-1Y Venom and AH-1Z Viper helicopters to this country.

Under the contract worth $646 million signed in 2019, the US will have to deliver eight UH-1Y Venom multi-role helicopters and four AH-1Z Vipers to the Czech Republic by 2024.

Russia has repeatedly accused the West of transferring arms to Ukraine as a “proxy war” and could hinder peace talks.

During a two-hour phone call with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron on May 3, Russian President Vladimir Putin personally asked the West to stop providing arms to Ukraine.

A day later, Russian Defense Minister General Sergei Shoigu also warned that any NATO vehicle carrying weapons or equipment for Ukrainian forces would be considered a “target to be eliminated”.

“The US and its NATO allies continue to pump weapons to Ukraine. I can say with certainty that any means of transporting weapons or supplies from NATO to the Ukrainian armed forces will be considered a target of destruction. legal,” Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced on May 4.