Kamov helicopters proposed by Portugal more than a year ago continue “on national soil”

Six Kamov firefighting helicopters, offered by Portugal to Ukraine more than a year ago, still remain in the country, awaiting instructions from Portuguese authorities in Kyiv, the Defense Ministry told Lusa on Tuesday.

“The Kamov helicopters, transferred to Ukraine at the request of the Kyiv authorities, are on national territory and are awaiting instructions from their Ukrainian counterpart on further steps,” states the response of the Ministry of Defense sent to the Lusa agency.

The ministry, overseen by Helena Carreiras, also adds that “regular contacts are maintained between the Ministry of National Defense and its Ukrainian interlocutors, and last quarter there was a technical visit by the logistics unit of the donor group to the aircraft parking site.”

Six Kamov heavy firefighting helicopters, which are not licensed to operate in Portugal because they are Russian-made, are inoperative and parked at the Ponte de Sor airfield in Portalegre district.

The announcement to send the Kamovs to Ukraine was made by Helena Carreiras in October 2022. This decision was criticized at the time by Moscow, which considered it a “violation of its treaty obligations.”

Russian diplomacy considered that the decision of the Portuguese government to send six Kamov firefighting helicopters to Ukraine to help fight the Russian invasion was a “violation of treaty obligations” on the part of Lisbon, citing the fact that these were Russian-made aircraft. .

In June of this year, the Minister of Defense announced that preparations for the dispatch of the Kamovs were being planned.

Of the state’s six heavy helicopters, one has been involved in an accident since 2012, the other two have been under repair since 2015, and the remaining three Kamovs have been idle since the beginning of 2018.

The Kamovs were acquired in 2006 by the Ministry of the Interior, then led by current Prime Minister António Costa.