Despite being on the other side of the world the Royal New Zealand Air Force has flown in to help boost the beleaguered European nation, Sam Wise chats to the crew
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has touched every corner of the globe. The ramifications of the conflict have impacted even the countries furthest from the battlefield, including New Zealand. Despite the distance, the country has made a significant contribution to the unified effort to support Ukraine in the war, including the deployment of a C-130H Hercules to Europe, which has been based in the UK at RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire.
Air Forces Monthly spoke to the air detachment commander, Wing Commander Lisa D’Oliveira, Commanding Officer of the Royal New Zealand Air Force’s (RNZAF) 40 Sqn, about her country’s contribution to the aid effort: “We’re really concerned about ensuring we have global peace and security and economic stability and for us it’s important that we show solidarity with the international community to support Ukraine and ensure Russia’s invasion doesn’t impact on those things. The fact that we can supply military aid to Ukraine is very important to New Zealand,” she said.
