Portugal donates Russian-made helicopters to Ukraine

The last of the six Kamov helicopters that Portugal donated to the Ukrainian government as part of the effort to combat the invasion initiated by Russia in 2022 is now on its way to Ukraine, according to the Portuguese Ministry of National Defence.

The ministry stated that “the last truck carrying Kamov material destined for Ukraine left the facilities of the former EMA in Ponte de Sor yesterday [September 6],” Caliber.Az reports, citing Portuguese media.

In a statement, the ministry explains that “as part of the donations of material to Ukraine, and taking into account the request made by the Government of Ukraine to the Government of Portugal on February 23, 2023, the fleet of 6 medium Kamov Ka-32A11BC helicopters was formally donated in the state of conservation in which they were found.”

“After a long period of uncertainty and negotiations, the current Government, through the Ministry of National Defense, in coordination with the Ministry of Internal Administration, coordinated the transport of the helicopters with the Ukrainian authorities, particularly with the Embassy of Ukraine in Lisbon and the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense,” says the ministry.

In October 2022, the then Minister of Defense, Helena Carreiras, announced that Portugal would send to Ukraine the six Russian firefighting helicopters that were without a license to operate in Portugal, one of which was inoperable due to an accident.

The information was announced by Helena Carreiras in Brussels, at the end of a meeting of the Defense Ministers of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), where the war in Ukraine was discussed.

In November 2023, more than a year after the announcement of the transfer to Ukraine, the aircraft were still in Portugal, with the previous Government stating that it was awaiting “indication from the Ukrainian counterpart on the next steps to be taken” in this process.

The donation of these six medium helicopters had been requested by Ukraine from Portugal, and it was decided that the aircraft would be transferred in the state of conservation in which they were found.

The Kamov helicopters were acquired in 2006 by the Ministry of Internal Administration, then led by António Costa.

The war in Ukraine has already caused tens of thousands of deaths on both sides, and recent months have been marked by large-scale Russian air attacks against Ukrainian cities and infrastructure, while Kyiv’s forces have targeted Russian territory near the border and the Crimean peninsula, illegally annexed in 2014.