Slovakia and Russia Resume Military Contacts at Attaché Level

Slovakia and Russia have resumed military contacts through their military attachés for the first time since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The Slovak news outlet Aktuality reported the development.

During his visit to Moscow in May, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico promised Russian President Vladimir Putin that Slovakia would restore military-diplomatic ties with Russia.

“We have taken specific steps to resume the work of military attachés at our respective embassies. We purchase significant amounts of energy resources from you, but apparently that is not enough to limit our cooperation to this area alone,” Fico told Putin during his visit to Russia in May 2026.

The opposition had already warned that the government’s efforts to strengthen ties with Russia could be dangerous. The last Russian military attaché stationed in Slovakia was Sergei Solomasov, who was later expelled from the country.

Slovakia has already appointed its military representatives in Moscow. Brigadier General Slavomír Staviarsky will serve as military attaché, with Colonel Ivo Gachir as his deputy.

The new Russian military attaché in Bratislava is likely to be 46-year-old Maksim Verezhan. The naval officer previously served at the Russian Embassy in Rome and has spent the past few years in Moscow.

Following the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, Slovakia and Russia expelled each other’s military attachés. Before his expulsion, the Russian attaché was suspected of involvement in a spy case. He allegedly bribed Bohuš Garbar, an employee of the Hlavné správy news website, who spread disinformation at his direction.

Slovak opposition politicians have called the decision a serious mistake and warned about the arrival of a Russian spy. Tomáš Valášek, an MP from the Progressive Slovakia party, says the exchange of military attachés primarily benefits Russia, as Slovakia’s representative is unlikely to have access to sensitive information in Moscow.

Meanwhile, Valášek warns that the Russian military attaché could be given an opportunity to take part in disinformation and influence operations in Slovakia, fuel social tensions, and shape public opinion about Russia.

In September, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico expressed skepticism about invoking Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty. He stressed that despite Slovakia’s membership in NATO, he wanted to avoid direct involvement in combat under any circumstances.

“Can you imagine, ladies and gentlemen, invoking Article 5 of the NATO Treaty? Can anyone imagine being told to prepare 5,000 or 10,000 soldiers to go and fight somewhere, without even knowing where they are going, who they are fighting, or what they are fighting for?” Robert Fico said at the time.