Baranovichi Hosts a Ceremony of Handing Over Four MiG-29s to the Serbian Defence Ministry

A Serbian military delegation led by Minister of Defence of the Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vulin visited the Republic of Belarus on 24–25 February 2019.
On 25 February, Roman Golovchenko, Minister of State Authority for Military Industry of the Republic of Belarus, met with Aleksandar Vulin at 558 Aircraft Repair Plant JSC. The parties noted the positive dynamics in the relations between Belarus and Serbia in the field of military-technical cooperation.
The delegations exchanged their views on the results and prospects for joint military-technical cooperation projects. They expressed their confidence that the countries have sufficient potential for cooperation which needs to be further fulfilled.
An intergovernmental agreement between Belarus and Serbia on military-technical cooperation was signed and entered into force in January 2017. The first meeting of the joint Belarusian-Serbian Commission on Military-Technical Cooperation was held in December 2018. During the meeting, the parties signed the programme of military-technical cooperation between State Authority for Military Industry of the Republic of Belarus and the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Serbia.
The Belarusian side also informed Serbian colleagues about the MILEX 2019 international military exhibition, which will take place in May 2019, and invited Serbian companies to participate. The exhibition will contribute to the further development of Belarusian-Serbian mutually beneficial cooperation in the military-technical sphere.
A ceremony of handing over four MiG-29s from the Belarusian Defence Ministry to the Serbian Defence Ministry took place on the same day. The event was attended by Roman Golovchenko, Minister of State Authority for Military Industry of the Republic of Belarus; Maj. Gen. Andrei Fedin, First Deputy Chief of Armaments of the Belarusian Armed Forces, Chief of the Armaments Staff; Aleksandar Vulin, Minister of Defence of the Republic of Serbia; and Veljko Kovacevic, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Serbia to Belarus.
“25 February 2019 is a special date for us,” Roman Golovchenko said. “This is not only the starting point from the beginning of repair and improvement at 558 Aircraft Repair Plant of four MiG-29s that were assigned by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko as military-technical assistance to the Serbian side. This is also another sure step in strengthening our bilateral relations,” he added.
Serbian Defence Minister Aleksandar Vulin stressed that the military-technical assistance provided by the Belarusian side is of great importance for the Balkan country.
“We have received four MiG-29s, which are now part of the Serbian Air Force. There are also a number of military-economic projects between our countries. We are interested in certain technologies that Belarus owns, but we also have something to offer – products of the Serbian defence industry,” Aleksandar Vulin said.
“Another important step has been taken today in military-technical cooperation between Belarus and Serbia. We have received the MiG-29 fighters. They will be repaired and upgraded in the interests of the Serbian Defence Ministry. Repair will take from one to one and a half years, depending on what amount of modernisation will be determined finally in the requirements specification,” said Pavel Pinigin, director of 558 ARP JSC.
“558 ARP JSC has extensive experience in repair, modernisation and integrated logistics support of MiG-29 aircraft. I am sure that the MiG-29s improved at the Belarusian company will serve as a reliable shield and guarantor of the independence and security of Serbia,” Roman Golovchenko concluded.
The members of the Serbian delegation also familiarised themselves with the production capabilities of 558 ARP JSC by visiting a number of new production facilities. Aleksandar Vulin signed the visitors’ book in the museum of 558 ARP JSC.