Commander of Lithuanian Air Force was dismissed becuase he intended to repair helicopters in Russia
Lithuanian Defense Minister Raimundas Karoblis discharged the Commander of the Air Force of the country, Colonel Audronis Navickas, due to his intent to repair military helicopters in Russia, as reported by Delfi.
The Minister made this decision based on the results of an official investigation. The Air Force commander was dismissed from his duties at the beginning of the investigation a few months ago.
As a result of the Minister’s decision, the Colonel is on a temporary reserve list of Lithuanian army personnel, and he can be transferred to the reserves. According to the law, if he is offered a position within the Army that matches his qualifications and rank, Navickas will be transferred to the reserve.
Since November of last year the Lithuanian Ministry of Defense has been investigating the colonel's intention to repair two military search and rescue helicopters in Russia.
"The evidence shows that the decision to allocate funds and repair the helicopters was made on the condition that the repairs would not be made in Russia or by its suppliers. Colonel Navickas, who held a top post in the Air Force, did not uphold the directive, made at the Defense Ministry’s meeting of the Defense Resources Board on February 9, 2016 which prohibited the repair of military helicopters in Russia. National security cannot allow for a free interpretation of political directives," stressed the Minister of Defense, Karoblis, in justifying the decision.
The green light to repair the Mi-8T helicopters in Russia had been given by the commission for competitive procurement led by the representative of the Ministry of Defense, the chief commander of the Air Force, and the head of the Department of Arms and Control systems of the Ministry of Defense last year. The process was halted in November.
As the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry asserted, the repair of the helicopters in Russia would be counter to the decisions of the European Union (EU) regarding sanctions against Moscow and to Lithuania’s foreign policy.