The Russian Federation’s ministry of foreign affairs said today there will be “retaliatory measures” against Portugal (and other European Union countries) for sending military equipment, such as Kamov helicopters to Ukraine. “We have already announced that we view the delivery of Kamov (helicopters) to Ukraine as a hostile measure towards our country, a measure that is part of the docile and unconscious walk of Portugal and other European Union countries along the path designed by Washington,” said the official representative of Russian diplomacy, Maria Zakharova. This is a statement that, for those aware of the condition of the Kamov’s, borders on comedy: the reason Portugal decided to send the helicopters to Ukraine was essentially that its own technicians could not maintain them. Most of the aircraft were lying in pieces on a hangar floor. Thus, there was nothing ‘hostile’ in Portugal’s decision: it was more a way of clearing a space in Ponte de Sor, and ‘perhaps’ giving Ukraine something useful amongst what was described in 2021 as “a pile of scrap metal”, because Ukraine is much more familiar with Russian technology.
Russia threatens retaliation for Portugal’s sending of clapped out helicopters to Ukraine
Portugal and the Kamovs were not a happy union: the fleet purchased during the Sócrates years was always needing expensive maintenance, and even then, accidents kept happening
