Slovak air defense systems sold as scrap allegedly exported for millions

A dispute has erupted over the sale of Slovak air defense systems, with former Defense Minister Jaroslav Naď accusing current Minister Robert Kaliňák of selling obsolete "scrap" for a fraction of its true value. Naď presented documents suggesting that two batteries of the Kub air defense system, located on the property of the private company Robus near Krupina, are destined for Uganda in a deal worth 10 million euros.

Naď questioned how a private company acquired such military hardware, implying a questionable transaction. He highlighted that the systems, while perhaps outdated, still possess value, especially when destined for export. The former minister pointed to evidence indicating the systems were being sold as scrap for tens of thousands of euros, a stark contrast to the reported 10 million euro export deal.

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What we saw and still see in this photograph is part of an air defense system, specifically the Kub anti-aircraft complex. And I ask, where did the private company Robus get the Kub air defense system?

Minister Kaliňák, however, defended the sale, asserting that the systems were indeed sold as scrap and were "gutted" or merely metal shells. He claimed that the decision to scrap them was made in 2021, during Naď's tenure as minister, although records suggest the official disposal occurred under a caretaker government after Naď's term. Kaliňák also stated the sale price was in the tens of thousands of euros, not millions. The article also briefly mentions other news, including economic stimulus packages and political disputes.

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The systems were sold as scrap... the decision to scrap them was made in 2021.