REUTERS
Airbus Helicopters signed a contract with the Ukrainian Interior Ministry on July 14.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has said Ukraine received the first batch of Airbus helicopters for the needs of the National Guard of Ukraine and the State Emergency Service of Ukraine.
"Ukraine acquired helicopters from Airbus Helicopters, the first batch of which we have received today from our French friends and are handing over to the National Guard of Ukraine and the State Emergency Service of Ukraine," Poroshenko wrote on Twitter on December 21, 2018.
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Poroshenko recalled that under the contract, Ukraine will receive 55 helicopters of this company.
"In a very short time, in less than half an hour, we will be able to provide aviation security to all aviation units," Poroshenko said at an Airbus helicopters transfer ceremony on December 21.
At the end of the ceremony, the president presented the helicopter certificates to the commanders of the aviation units of the State Emergency Service and the National Guard of Ukraine.
According to the information provided by Minister of Internal Affairs Arsen Avakov, the French-German Helicopter Service Center will also be opened in Ukraine.
As UNIAN reported earlier, following the Intergovernmental Agreement signed between France and Ukraine on June 8, Airbus Helicopters on July 14 signed a contract with the Ukrainian Interior Ministry for the supply of 55 civil helicopters destined for search and rescue (SAR), public services, and emergency medical service (EMS) missions in the country.
The 55 aircraft include 21 repurposed H225s, and 10 brand new H145s and 24 H125.