Moscow criticized the Portuguese government’s decision to send six Russian-origin firefighting helicopters to Ukraine, saying it was a “breach of its contractual obligations.”
Russian diplomacy considers that the decision taken by the Portuguese Government to send six Kamov firefighting helicopters to Ukraine, helping in the fight against the Russian invasion, is a “violation of contractual obligations” by Lisbon, referring to the fact that being aircraft of Russian origin.
“We ask our (Portuguese) colleagues to refrain from taking actions that could discredit Portugal as a reliable partner,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Twitter.
contacted by TSFthe Russian embassy is refusing to comment on the case for now.
This month, Portugal announced the shipment to Ukraine of six Kamov helicopters, which were currently without a license to operate because they were of Russian origin, one of which was inoperative.
“At the request of Ukraine and in conjunction with the Ministry of Internal Affairs, we will make our fleet of Kamov helicopters available to Ukraine, which, due to the current scenario, the sanctions imposed on Russia, we can no longer operate, in fact they do not have their airworthiness certificates. and we won’t even be able to repair them,” Portuguese Defense Minister Helena Carreiras said at the time.
The minister stressed that the helicopters would be transferred in the state in which they were, in need of repair, but believing that they will be “very useful for Ukraine”, adding that kyiv had thanked the Portuguese government for the gesture.
The military offensive launched on February 24 by Russia in Ukraine has already caused the flight of more than 13 million people -more than six million internally displaced persons and more than 7.5 million to European countries-, according to the most recent data from the UN, which places this refugee crisis as the worst in Europe since the Second World War (1939-1945).
The Russian invasion – justified by Russian President Vladimir Putin, with the need to “denazify” and demilitarize Ukraine for Russia’s security – was condemned by the international community in general, which has responded by sending weapons to Ukraine and imposing political sanctions on Russia. and economic. .
Source: TSF
