North Macedonia donates four Sukhoi Su-25 fighter jets to Ukraine.

Ukraine received four Sukhoi Su-25 ground-attack aircraft from North Macedonia, which purchased them more than twenty years ago in Kyiv. Advisor to the Ukrainian Presidency Mikhail Podoliak confirmed on Saturday the delivery to Ukraine of fighter jets and battle tanks by North Macedonia.

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Ukrainian Sukhoi Su-25 Grach (Picture source: Ukrainian MoD)

North Macedonia - the newest member of NATO - had bought these four Su-25s ("Frogfoot" ) in 2001, when this former Yugoslav republic was facing an armed insurrection by its Albanian minority. These Soviet-designed, Georgian-built planes, however, saw little use and Skopje put them up for sale in 2003, without ever finding a buyer.

Three single-seat and one two-seat Su-25 aircraft were delivered. North Macedonia has also donated an unknown number of T-72 battle tanks to Ukraine, also of Soviet design.

"You meet friends when there are problems. It doesn't matter the size of your country or your GDP, what matters is the heart you have. Many nations are showing more courage today than half of the G-20. Like North Macedonia, which lends a shoulder to Ukraine with tanks and planes. We will never forget" Podoliak said on Twitter.