Slovakia has revived its military-diplomatic representation with Russia by sending two military officers, namely General Branko Slavimir Stavyarski and his deputy, Colonel Ivo Gahir, to Moscow and preparing to receive a Russian military attaché in Bratislava. This action marks the first time since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Criticism of the Revival of Military Relations
This development has faced criticism from opposition politicians who question what benefits Slovakia gains from these relations. They warn that Russia may use this representation to bolster its intelligence operations. Martin Poliačik, a former Slovak representative from the opposition Progressive Party, described this move as an important political signal and stated that NATO allies should be concerned about the activities of this new military officer.
Reminder of an Intelligence Scandal
The revival of the military representation in Slovakia recalls an intelligence scandal from a few years ago, in which Sergei Solomasov, a Russian military attaché, was caught hiring and paying a Slovak citizen for espionage activities. Solomasov was expelled from Slovakia the following year, and this individual was charged with espionage and bribery.
Opposition defense experts express concerns that the military attaché in Moscow may not be able to gather useful information and that sending a Russian attaché could lead to espionage in Slovakia. They warn that this new officer could conduct influence operations and misinformation campaigns.
The Slovak government and its supporters have justified the revival of these relations as a means to gather information and maintain diplomatic representation. They believe that these actions are necessary for assessing the security and military-political situation.
Richard Gluck, a member of the Smer party and chairman of the Defense and Security Committee in Parliament, pointed to the presence of American, British, and French military diplomats in Moscow and stated that Slovakia needs to gather more information.
However, Pavel Mačko, a retired general and former Deputy Minister of Defense of Slovakia, believes that the circumstances under which the previous relations ended are very important. He stated that Russia's hostile activities in Slovakia and the region continue to increase.
