VIENNA (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 25th April, 2023) Austria's Ministry of Defense said in answer to a request by the right-wing Freedom Party of Austria (FPO) that over the last 12 months beginning from March last year, 1,657 pieces of US military equipment have been transferred through the country's territory, with at least seven US aircraft crossing the Austrian airspace within the same time period, Austrian media reported, citing the party's data.
After the transportation of 20 Howitzers M-109L via Austria to Poland was revealed, the secretary general of the FPO, Christian Hafenecker, sent a request to the Austrian Defense Ministry in order to find out how many units of NATO military equipment have been transported through Austria since the start of Russia's special military operation in Ukraine.
US military equipment has been transported through the territory of Austria, which is a neutral state, four times per day, Austrian newspaper Exxpress reported, adding that Slovenia used the territory of Austria for the transit of its arms over 500 times, Hungary has done the same over 400 times, over 300 cases of military transit were carried out by Slovakia and over 150 were conducted Czechia. Serbia has also twice transported arms through Austria, the report added.
Hafenecker said that the practice would be continued, as the Defense Ministry said a lot of the transported equipment is needed to strengthen NATO contingents in Eastern Europe.
The FPO expects the military equipment to be inevitably sent to Ukraine, the report said.
Moreover, at least seven US aircraft have flown through Austria's airspace within the same period, but the ministry did not answer the FPO's question as to whether the Austrian air force attempted to intercept them, according to the report.
Within the last 12 months, 7,400 NATO aircraft have crossed the country's airspace, which makes over 20 flights per day, the report said, adding that aircraft from Switzerland, Romania, Germany, France, Egypt, Czechia and Italy have also flown in Austrian airspace over the last year.
Western countries have been supplying Kiev with various types of weapon systems, including air defense missiles, multiple launch rocket systems, tanks, self-propelled artillery, and anti-aircraft guns since Russia launched its military operation in Ukraine over a year ago. The Kremlin has repeatedly warned against further arms deliveries to Kiev
