Only four MiG-21 fighter jets out of 12 combat aircraft, purchased by Croatia from Ukraine, can be considered combat-ready.
Photo: Cropix / Ranko Suvar
The Croatian military police has conducted an investigation into the purchase and repair of the MiG-21 fighter jets in Ukraine, the Jutarnji Vijesti newspaper reported.
According to the newspaper, exploitation of the MiG-21s in Croatia was accompanied by difficulties. Only four fighter jets out of 12 combat aircraft can be considered combat-ready, the Croatian military authorities reported several days ago.
The newspaper noted that recently, the country’s President publicly announced the need to investigate the procedure of purchase and overhaul of the MiG-21s. The biggest problem is defects that every day appear on the fighter jets after the undergoing of major repairs in Ukraine. General Milan Sundov told the President that since July 2015, when 12 planes, repaired in Ukraine, were handed over to the country’s air force, the number of failures reached 300.
As journalists found out, the most common failures are faults of a hydraulic power system, navigational equipment and communications gear, wastages of fuel and oil, as well as hydraulic system leaks. In addition, there were two engine failures during flights. One of the problems became visible to everyone during the recent visit of Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic to an airbase in Pleso, where the fighter jets were covered with fuel and oil streaks.
Five representatives of the Odesaviaremservis aircraft repair plant have been working at the Pleso airbase along with technicians of the Croatian Air Force for more than a year and a half, as, according to the contract, the warranty period is still going on. These specialists unsuccessfully try to bring the warplanes into combat readiness. According to the newspaper, ten days ago, during a take-off of one of the fighter jets, the fluid power actuators on one of its wings stopped to operate. A pilot managed to safely land the plane.
According to a newspaper’s source in the country’s Defense Ministry, Croatia is still able to control its airspace, but the state’s air force is not ready to quickly fulfill all the tasks, assigned to it. “This is a nightmare. This not only threatens the national security, but also calls into question the safety of our pilots,” the source said. For this reason, the country considers a reserve option of conclusion of an agreement with a NATO member country, which, if necessary, will be able to control the Croatian airspace.
According to the Croatian Jutarnji List newspaper, due to the terrible technical condition of the fighter jets, the military police intensively investigate into the reasons of the aircraft’s undergoing major repairs in Ukraine. The military police presented a report to the country’s Defense Minister, which points to a number of suspicious actions during the contract’s conclusion. The investigation was started in 2016.
According to unofficial information, there is doubtful documentation regarding five aircraft, which were purchased by Croatia from Ukraine. It turned out that four fuselages of the MiG-21, which the Ukrspetsexport company used in the sold warplanes as capital repaired ones, actually had expired operation time, though it was stated that their residual operation time reaches 850 hours.
The investigation also showed that engines of two out of five aircraft have unknown origin, and their serial numbers do not correspond to the numbers, indicated in the accompanying documentation. It is unknown what elapsed time they have.
In addition, a fact of giving and receiving a bribe in the amount of 10,000 euros during a tender for the repair of the MiG-21s was proved. The Zagreb’s district court approved an indictment against members of the technical committee of the Defense Ministry, Ivana Covica and Ivice Josipovica, the owners of the Aeropartner company, and others. The both accused admitted their guilt. However, now, the investigation allows suggesting that there may be more persons, responsible for this substandard repair.
^^
Yugoslavia was a federal republic, composed of six republics and their “governments”. Above them was the federal government. Federative Republic of Croatia and Slovenia were to secede in a separate state and they are entitled by the federal constitution. In Croatia, the Serbs were a minority and early 90s wanted to team up with the Serbs from the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republic of Serbia in the common state. This could not be achieved by peaceful means but with the help of Yugoslav National Army (JNA) started in arming themselves. And then there was a war. dejan- you know why your country is bombed, crimes in Kosovo. hhabana- Croatia is still a beautiful country, come to visit, and Yugoslavia is history. Solomon – I’d love to Yugoslavia peacefully dispersed as Czechoslovakia. Igor Dragicevic ask around a bit, you should know the truth. In WW2 there is being crimes, commited by all nation.
Yugoslavia was broken becose Serbs Četnici whanted big Serbia and that is why they attack Croatia and Bosnia. Yugoslavia was big Serbia made by Četnici! This is the link with truth: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sVj_QRol7I
Iam from Serbia, with Croatia and other 4 republics we lived in one country called Yugoslavia, before ww2 it was monarchy but after ww2 we were socialist federal republic, but it wasnt communism like in USSR or other communist state, we lived with much higher standard of living, in that time our military was one of the strongest in Europe, in 80s we had more than 130 Mig 21 and 16 Mig 29, but in 90s war happend bcs Croats and Slovenians wanted independence and they were supported by Usa and west, than in that civil war we Serbs were under sanctions and later bombed by NATO, and look now, Croats only have 4 operative Mig 21
That’s right Dejan. I hope the Croats rot in the hell they created. Suck Western European and American cock why they suck you dry. Fucking Ustasha most of you.
very high level.
Irony, the West European broke up Eastern European countries like Yugoslavia into bits and pieces but when comes their own land they say Europe must combine as one nation with one capital(Brussels), one government under one puppet master(America), one people, one army(NATO) under the US military command, one bank(Zionist ECB) and one stupid “wooden block” economy policy. The best part now is that the American’s EU dog will do whenever its US master tells it to do.
Western didnt broke Yougoslavia. Same thing about the reast of Eastern Europe. When did the socalled Yougoslavia was one before – ?????
Mot of the rest unfortunatly are the the level like cirkumseized a complete wrong place or something.
You cant even read maps about Nato as well as EU and EU has a bigger BNP then USA (incl GB). We have voted about it.
Youhurtslavia was a comming dictatorship by Milisowitch or a diveded one by Tudjman. We have seen too much of that in europe.
You are probably among the retards who think the Eastern Bloc collapsed economically.
No, it was a political selfmade one cpllapse, whith many reasons for collapse.
They didnt reforme the Sovjet Area by having 3-4 almost dead presidents. When Gorbatjof finally became president, it was too late.
To less influence were, where people lived and produced. Too less connection between needs a and production as well.
Also Karl Marx said, that bureucrasy was one of the worst enemies and Sovjet and more was very corrupt.
When it when down it also got robbed by westerns, because of the lack of infrastructure for having incomes for the state, but russian oligarks were an important part of it too.
Ok you are right that is was a self made destruction by the ideologically weak Soviet government.
Yes it was the past few weak Russian governments that allowed the Zionist Jewish Oligarch & Global financiers to cleaned out Russia’s wealth and as the result Russian’s Ruble fell and Russia had to default its loans. Thank God it is President Putin’s govt who save Russia from total collapse. And now the Global financiers & the Zionist Jewish Oligarch wants EU & America to go to war with Russia. It was the Zionist Jewish Oligarch & the Global financiers who “f…ked” Russia’s econmy in order to break up the USSR and that includes Yugoslavia. Today many of the former USSR members leaders are in the pocket of the Zionist Jewish Oligarch & Global financiers. But some former USSR members chose wisely to stay close to Russia. Forming an economic alliance with Russia, China and Iran.
It wasnt like that. Serbs wanted to dominate all again after there was said no by everybody else. No respeckt from Serbs at all. After that Slovenia got free and the war between Serbia and Croatia started as next step.
And yes west supported croatets although they as the Kurds couldnt be the heavy stuff. You forget a why, but the answer is just above in Your own text. Serbs already had all the weapons, they could carry and Croates had none.
So Croates were allowed to buy used weapons in Eastern Europe. After Serbs and Croates had killed many of each other they fell over Bosnia muslims, which only had hunting riffels and forks. Several 100.000b were killed or deported
After that Serbs made 1,7 million Kosovos to refugees in Albania. Nice people those Serbs.
Congrats, you bought into NATO’s Yugoslav narrative, sold in MSM media, 100%. Some prudent facts – the German intelligence service started working to encourage Croatian nationalism in 1970’s, they wanted to reclaim Croatia as area of German sphere of influence. Croatian coordination with German intelligence saw purging of ethnic Serbs from Croatian intelligence and promoting of nationalist leaderships in Croatia. By 1989 ethnic Serb areas and JNA personnel were targeted by Croatian nationalists in random attacks and mob violence. Ethnic Serbs in Croatia felt legitimately threatened by proposed new constitution and mood of radical nationalism that made no considerations for country’s large minorities. After Slovenia broke away and Croatia declared its intention to follow, the US called it the ‘German foreign minister’s war’, As Germany immediately moved to recognize independence and proposed military support – eventually giving large quantities of ex-east German equipment to Croatia. Later the Croatian military’s offensives were run by ex US generals, directed against the ethnic Serb’s heartland of Nis. Forcing the largest ethnic cleansing of the war, as hundreds of thousands of ethnic Serbs had to flee an area that the Austro-Hungarian’s had brought them to settle and protect, against further Ottoman muslim advances, hundreds of years before – the ‘Krajina’ or frontier. Bosnia was far more complex – three different groups, Bosniaks, Croats and Serbs lived there and the Bosniak leadership declared independence without consulting the other two large ethnic minorities. At times Croats were in alliance with, and at others times fought against the Bosniaks in Bosnia. What you were never told in western media was that the CIA and Saudi’s organized to transit mujahedin volunteers from Afghanistan to fight in Bosnia – these Afghan, Arab and Pakistani’s were on jihad against Orthodox Christians and were the Bosniak militia’s hit men. They murdered ethnic Serb civilians and prisoners – cutting throats and beheading – exactly as the Islamist militants do in Syria today. You can find You Tube videos of these mujahedin murdering captured ethnic Serbs – the mujahedin were of no overall strategic military value, didn’t know the terrain, or the people, they were an imported tool that upped the violence level on an anti-Orthodox jihad. You indicate little grasp of the Yugoslav wars, who the major actors were, and which foreign states became heavily invested in the breaking up of Yugoslavia. It was really the first version of many NATO interventions that were to follow – come the 21st century.
Every time someone write, that we western dont know about this and that or start wirth “which country arte You from” – I know 100% that the next lines are oneeyed propaganda of the worst kind.
Yours are.
American generals in the NIS area. Funny and sad to write that.
I know Nis diffrent. When serbs too over, there were no serbs in the 2 Morava valleys. To make space to them the serbian army moved almost all awaw.
When Serbs took over Macedonia, there was not even 1 serb living in the courtry.
And Nis chapter 2. Albanian muslims in Kosovo were blamed being so many – Well serbs army had moved them to there. And so few serbs there: Well serbish farmers and other poor had left the area by temself moving to Beograd or even as far as america.
And You Baanat german something. Well, those germans made a living there by hard work and created a living for much more, than there was.
After WW1 You suddenly had much more land and even a lot of people speaking hungarian. So it came by parashoot.
You also totally ignore that the rest of the South slaves never has wanted You as rulers at all. Thats why Croates joined nazies and didnt want any kinbg asb in the first place too.
In Your versin of Knin, You forget it wasnt serbia at all and also Bihac as defender of the Turkish northern outpost.
And why should Bosniacks be killed in thousens or being deported to us after they were stripped for all of value incl. rape.
They were the only ones, which wanted to talk and find solutions. So what happend. After serbs and croates had killed each other in Vukovar and other places You agreed by divinding Bosnia on a napkin.
Then croates there made terrible etnic cleansing and serbs only some.
A collegae of mine lived in Bosanski Brod, when serbs arrived and they went to the other side Sava. Abaut 2.000 grenades big and small at a weekend and next was busses and laughing soldiers taking all, they could fine. Even shoes were taken.
After that Bosniacs got military traing by Al Qaida, and the first army of theirs were well motivated, becase all had at least one family member in the grave made in in Croats or Serbs. They also were given much mobey from rich saudis and others. Thats really effective way to make modertae almost sekular musloims into Jihad or close to.
Congratiolations Serbia and Chroatia. Those Milosovitsh and Tudjman are really nice guys. And people like Mladics with whip and smile. How romantic.
And all the 7.000 coffins in Screbrenica was white with roses, so people couldnt know, they were just dirty turks.
I like Yugoslavia but I prefer Soviet style socialism, Tito was always pro West thinking they will spare him. Well as you can see, they did not.
Ha,ha,haaaaaaaaa. You fucking stupid Croatians! Your shit country was once part of beautiful Yugoslavia. How do you like the Western Way of life? Now, you waste your money on jets to fight whom? Another Balkan war? I will drink a shot of Slivovitz in your honor and high stupidity tonite!
i think, the croats are very happy and rich in their independent country. croatia was always richer country then serbia.
Last I was there, I saw otherwise Ustasha sympathizer.
ustasha is same wring as hitler. i do not discuss about fascists, but normal people. extremists are everewhere the loudest.
Croats arent happy and rich now, its not bad living standard but they are not happy, population is decrasing, young people must go out of country, big corruption and yes they have a bit better standard of living than in Serbia but Croatia was supported and had help from west, while we in Serbia had terrible sanctions, inflation was worse than germany had after ww1 and than in 99 we were bombed by nato, they bomb bridges, factories, oil factories(30 billion dollars of damage)
boy, from yugosklavia also went away people. and more serbs then croats. be sure, they are happy. yugoslavia was a serb nationalistic adea. like czechoslovakia. now is better for czechs and slovaks without czechoslovakia.
croatia was supported, becouse serb animals did not understand, every nation has right tzo live alone!!! and how big animals are serbs, they showed in bosnia.
600 000 Serbs lived in Croatia, 1,4 million in Bosnia
migrants
but i asked for serb migrants in west
what the fuck do you know about Serbia you drunk polak, german puppet
Serbs killed muslim terrorists in bosnia, Serbs are Holy Crusaders you idiot
The EU puppet master, America, is the “World’s Mafia” nation on earth. Just like the corrupted and murderer George Bush have said, “either you are with us or you are with the enemy”. Well, that is what all past and present gangsters will say when they want to extort something from others. Today, at least half of the world’s population is waiting impatiently to pop the champagne bottle, for the world’s most indebted nation on this planet to collapse.
Actually, croatia never existed as a country.
bullshit! there were in early middle age as criotian kondom, and later there was personal union with hungarian kingdom. 1200 years existed. lern the history, moron!
Your parents are morons you braindead imbecile, I’m not interested in your Nazi fairy tales and dark age barbarian kingdoms… learn english, and stay butthurt you dumb idiot.
no try again
That is very naive and simplistic idea about life in Croatia today, and indeed the economic status of all the southern European states in EU. Recall that Croatia joined EU in 2103 – straight after the onset of a deep Euro crisis that started in 2009.
That’s the price you pay when you turn to third parties instead of the country that manufactured the planes, namely Russia.
Well, what do You expect those are museum artifacts, but what Assad and his Mafiosas can effort for the time being.
According to wiki the first ones was made in 1959 but a great succes. Compared to them F16 is brand new.
This article is a perfect example of just how politically illiterate the average commentator on this site really is. “Oh look at me, I’m from Serbia therefore my comment about Croatia MUST BE unbiased and realistic.”
First of all, the decision was a financial one because Croatia decided instead of spending money on new aircraft it would rather refurbish them in a cost effective manner. And no, the aircraft were not produced in Russia, they were made in the Soviet Union of which Ukraine happened to be a part of. Ukraine had all the industrial capacity and know-how to modernise the aircraft, the decision was only logical seeing Russia has been under international sanctions for a few years now, you might have noticed. We’re talking about the same capacity and know-how Russia itself used since the breakup of the USSR.
Oh and how convenient everyone here chose to ignore the deals Croatia and Russia had with helicopter modernisation and acquisition in the past. But hey, let’s compare them with Serbia which has the most advanced and battle-ready air force in the whole region (trust me on this one, a Serb said this on some site).
You just have to love how everyone jumps on the whole ‘let’s call Croatia nazi and praise the oh so innocent Serbia that always got fu**ed in the ass by evil invaders’ bandwagon. What a bunch of cucks on this site, Jesus H Christ.
Impartial experts everywhere you look.
You don’t need to tell me or anybody else anything about Croatia. My deceased mother and me were both born there and we don’t need anybody to tell us what Croatia is all about let alone you right. And if you are christian and I presume you are Catholic than you should have know what means not to take God’s name in vain. You language is despicable. How dare you take good name of our good Lord Jesus Christ in your dirty mouth? Matt 12:37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.
yeah very logical, Ukraine is bankrupt, the cant even stop small states from declaring independence, even with US Money. in 2 years we will see at least 4 countries where ukraine is today
Croatia only used Ukraine to refit its old aircraft for political reasons. However making a contract with crooks and shysters is not really a wise move. LOL
Our (croatian) politicians are a joke. Always been, always will be. But yugoslavia was a joke as well. And I’m glad it’s dead. Except of couple of morons who are still crying about it, just like you can see in the comments below :>
Yeah sure. That is why all your young people flee for opportunities abroad. You all deserve what you got there.
Yup. I do agree there. But you forget one important fact, they were fleeing when yugoslavia was around, so I really don’t see your point?
the point is croatians hate themselves especially when they find out their grandparents were serb and forced to become croatian in ww2
Igore, Igore… Smanji malo dozivljaj. Znam da kroz tebe ide temperamentna turska krv, no imas jos i srpske (valjda), pa se nauci kontrolirati ^^
Next time, refurbish or purchase from China or India. They still have swarms of Mig-21s in their air forces. They are much more reliable in terms of a fair deal.
I would like to guess, that there is some US-payed “sabotage” behind the scene to force Croatia buying bloody US-fighter-jets! What do You mean about?
Croatia is revived Nazi 5th column state from WWII run by Vatican. Even German Nazi generals were horrified by their crimes against local Serbian minority. My mother was an eye witness of their crimes during that time. She buried population of whole villages where not a single human being was left alive even babies throats in their cots were cut. North West Ukraine is no different. That’s why Croatian government is seeking their services. Births of feather come together.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqNje12b21s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsQ-eSveN6A
Ukraine is a failed state like Iraq, Libya, Syria, Somalia or any other country the USA has destabilized, plundered and allowed to be carved up like a cheap pork roast. They can’t do anything right anymore.
bork
Ukraine sold Croatia a dozen ‘bitsas’ – bits of this air frame mashed up with bits of that air frame, pulled from the scrap and used parts bin. It was a terrible political decision to buy military hardware from Ukraine, mired in instability and hopeless corruption, and an even worse decision to use Ukraine for overhaul services of MiGs, as they cannot access any Russian assistance for possible spare parts. Result, a disaster.
Very dirty comments. We should give all there flushing toilets, showers, tuff soap and new history books.