Slovakia Ministry of Defence Donates S-300 PMU Air Defense Missile System to Ukraine

The Ministry of Defence confirms that the Slovak Republic provided Ukraine with the S-300 PMU (SA-10F Grumble) air-defence system. This comes in reaction to the request of Ukraine for assistance in its exercise of self-defense in line with Article 51 of the UN Charter as a direct consequence of armed aggression by Russia. This decision represents a responsible reaction of the Slovak Republic that is supporting peace, freedom, and protection of human rights. Assistance provided by the Slovak Republic is sole defensive to support the self-defense capabilities of Ukraine and protection of innocent lives from further aggression by the Russian Armed Forces.

Providing the S-300 to Ukraine does not mean that the Slovak Republic has become a part of the military conflict in Ukraine. Self-defence capabilities of the Slovak Republic are secured and will be strengthened by the fourth battery of the Patriot System that will arrive in Slovakia within the next week and will be deployed on the territory of the Slovak Republic as long as necessary. NATO members Bulgaria, Slovakia, and Greece have the S-300s, which can fire missiles hundreds of kilometers and knock out cruise missiles or aircraft. NATO allies Germany and Netherlands last month sent three batteries of the Patriot air-defense system to Slovakia, which Bratislava said would complement rather than replace the S-300. U.S. President Joe Biden has thanked Slovakia for donating its Soviet-era S-300 air-defence system to Ukraine and said it will be replaced with a U.S.-made Patriot system.

Defence Minister Jaroslav Nad said: “Security of the Slovak Republic and our citizens is our highest priority. That is why we decided to make this decision at the moment, when we have an adequate replacement for the S-300 system, as we had stated before. The fourth battery of the Patriot system, one of the most modern air-defense systems, provided by our Allies, will be deployed in Slovakia. Together, four batteries of the Patriot system will cover the territory of the Slovak Republic. Due to the technical condition, limited options of maintenance, and age of the S-300 system, the deployment of the fourth battery of the Patriot system is great news for Slovakia and at the same time tremendous help for Ukraine.”

The S-300 (SA-10 Grumble) is a series of initially Soviet and later Russian long-range surface-to-air missile systems produced by NPO Almaz. The S-300 system was developed to defend against aircraft and cruise missiles for the Soviet Air Defence Forces. The S-300 PMU (SA-10F Grumble) was introduced in 1992 for the export market and featured the upgraded 5V55U missile which still utilized the intermediate SARH terminal guidance method and smaller warhead of the 5V55R but increased the engagement envelope to give this missile roughly the same range and altitude capabilities as the newer 48N6 missile (max. range 150 km/93 mi). The radars were also upgraded, with the surveillance radar for the S-300 PMU being designated 64N6 (BIG BIRD) and the illumination and guidance radar being designated 30N6-1 in the GRAU index.