BRATISLAVA, March 23. /TASS/. Slovakia has handed over to Ukraine the first four of 13 MiG-29 fighter jets that had been decommissioned last year from its air force fleet, the Czech News Agency (CTK) reported on Thursday, citing the Slovakian Defense Ministry.

Acting Slovak Prime Minister Eduard Heger stated on Wednesday that technical specialists from Ukraine are now in his country to take possession of the MiG-29 aircraft, which Bratislava is donating to Kiev.

Ukrainian specialists have brought with them all the components and units that need to be replaced. Slovak authorities earlier reported that the process of transferring the fighter jets would take several weeks.

Slovakia decommissioned a squadron of MiG-29s from its air force fleet in August 2022. The country will be monetarily compensated for the jets by the US and the European Union. According to Slovak media, such compensation will total about $1 billion.