Czechia is sending a special operations helicopter unit with three Mi-171Š helicopters and up to 150 troops to Poland within hours, defense minister Jana Černochová said Sunday afternoon. The deployment, lasting up to three months, is intended to strengthen NATO’s eastern flank amid rising regional security concerns, APA reports, citing expats.az.
The move follows reports that Russian drones violated Polish airspace 19 times overnight Wednesday, prompting NATO members to bolster defenses along the alliance’s eastern border. Officials said the Czech contingent will operate in coordination with ongoing NATO measures to protect allied territory.
Černochová confirmed the deployment falls under a mandate approved by the Czech Parliament in 2024, valid through 2026. “The helicopters should reach Polish territory within hours and begin operations in the coming days,” she said, emphasizing the mission is part of the alliance’s forward presence strategy.