Slovakia is restoring its military-diplomatic representation for the first time since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 by sending two military officers to Moscow and planning to receive a Russian military attaché in Bratislava.
Details of the New Representation
According to reports, Brigadier General Slaviér Staviarsky and his deputy, Colonel Ivo Gahir, have been dispatched to Moscow. This development comes five months after a meeting between Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico and Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin, where Fico stated that relations between the two countries should go beyond energy supply.
This decision has faced severe criticism from opposition politicians, who raise questions about Slovakia's interests in this move. They warn that Russia may use this representation to strengthen its intelligence operations.
Concerns About Security and Espionage
Martin Poliačik, a former Slovak representative and member of the opposition party “Progressive Slovakia,” pointed out the political significance of this appointment and expressed concerns about the activities of the new officer and the political environment in which he will operate.
Reports from the Slovak news website, Aktuality, indicate that Vladimir Verzan has been introduced as the new Russian military attaché in Bratislava. He has received Slovakia's approval but has not yet been recognized as a valid military attaché.
This action recalls documents from a Russian espionage scandal in Bratislava dating back two years. Sergei Solomasov, the deputy military attaché at the Russian embassy, was hiring and paying one of the pro-Russian media activists and was subsequently expelled from Slovakia.
Opposition defense experts believe that the Slovak attaché in Moscow will be under strict supervision and will not obtain useful information. They also warn that appointing a Russian military attaché could pave the way for espionage in Slovakia.
Government Defense of the New Decision
The government and its supporters have justified restoring these contacts as a tool for gathering information and maintaining diplomatic representation. Information released through the Slovak military intelligence agency described Staviarsky's role in assessing the security and military-political situation and informing the Ministry of Defense.
Richard Glavok, a member of Fico's party and chairman of the parliamentary defense and security committee, pointed to the presence of American, British, and French military diplomats in Moscow, stating that the absence of a Slovak military representation in Moscow has been a major mistake.
However, Pavel Mačko, a retired general and former Deputy Minister of Defense of Slovakia, referred to the circumstances that led to the cessation of previous contacts, stating that Russia's hostile activities in Slovakia and the region continue to increase.
