According to a statement published by the Slovak Ministry of Defense on March 17, 2023, Slovakia will provide Ukraine with two launcher units of the 2K12 Kub, NATO reporting name SA-6 Gainful, missiles, spare parts, and associated equipment.
As of January 2023, Slovakia has donated €167.8 million in aid to Ukraine since the beginning of Russia’s invasion. Slovakia’s military aid to Ukraine has included several items, such as the S-300 PMU air defense system, Božena mine-clearing unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs), and 30 tracked BVP-1 infantry fighting vehicles.
In addition, Slovakia has provided five helicopters, small arms, munitions, and fuel. As part of an aid exchange program, Slovakia will receive 15 Leopard 2A4 main battle tanks from the Federal Republic of Germany in stages, in exchange for the transfer of the BVP-1 tracked armored IFVs (Infantry Fighting Vehicles), Soviet-made BMP-1 IFVs.
The 2K12 Kub (NATO reporting name: SA-6 Gainful) is a mobile, low to medium altitude, surface-to-air missile (SAM) system developed by the Soviet Union in the 1960s. It was designed to provide air defense for ground forces against enemy aircraft and helicopters. The 2K12 Kub system has been widely used by various countries and has seen combat in several conflicts.