Slovakia Resumes Military Attache Exchange with Russia

Slovakia has restored military-diplomatic ties with Russia for the first time since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Bratislava dispatched Brigadier General Slavomir Staviarsky and Colonel Ivo Gahir to Moscow, while preparing to receive a Russian military attache in return.

Fico's Initiative

The move follows a May 2026 meeting between Slovak PM Robert Fico and Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin, where Fico said bilateral relations should extend beyond energy cooperation. Slovak media report that Staviarsky has been stationed in Moscow since early August. Russia's future attache, Maxim Verezan, has reportedly already received Slovak approval, though he had not yet appeared on the official list of accredited attaches.

Opposition Warns of Espionage

Slovak opposition politicians questioned the value of the arrangement and warned that Russia could exploit it for intelligence gathering. "An additional military attache does not fundamentally change the overall picture; the real significance lies in the political signal it sends," said Martin Poliacik of the Progressive Slovakia party. NATO allies should monitor both the activities of the incoming Russian officer and the political environment in which he will operate.

NATO Concerns

Slovakia is both a NATO and EU member. Restoring military contacts with Moscow runs counter to the alliance's broader stance since 2022 and has drawn criticism from partner states worried about intelligence exposure and the erosion of trust within the bloc. More world news.