MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 26th April, 2023) The Russian embassy in Austria criticized the government of the alpine nation on Tuesday for allowing NATO allies to move Ukraine-bound hardware through its territory, in what Moscow says is a sign of Austria's eroding neutrality.
Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner admitted Monday that more than 1,600 US military convoys passed through Austria in one year to March 1. This is despite the fact that Austria declared itself permanently neutral in 1955. The number does not include transport of other NATO member states, some of which were destined for eastern Europe.
"It makes one think whether the regime in Kiev, a party to an armed conflict, is the final recipient... It is becoming more and more obvious that the 'permanent' neutrality is slowly eroding, contrary to the wishes of the Austrian majority," the embassy said.
The Austrian defense ministry also admitted opening up the national airspace to hundreds of US warplanes. Some 1,719 military aircraft flew over Austria last year alone. This translates to nearly five transit flights per day. At least seven of US air transits were unauthorized.
