Ukraine has received the first of several Polish MiG-29 fighter jets, an aide to Polish President Andrzej Duda announced Monday.
Last month, Poland offered to Ukraine a number of Soviet-era MiG-29s. Despite their age, the MiGs have the advantage of being familiar to Ukrainian pilots, meaning they would only require minimal training to get them up in the air.
Marcin Przydacz, the head of the Polish president’s International Policy Bureau, confirmed in an interview with RMF FM radio station that the first shipment of MiGs has been delivered to Ukraine.
“The Ukrainian side will certainly seek further support, several MiGs have already been sent, they are indeed helpful to Ukraine in defending the security of all of us,”
Przydacz said.
During a visit to Warsaw on Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is scheduled to hold talks with his Polish counterpart, Andrzej Duda. The discussions are expected to focus on further support for Ukraine, including the transfer of four MiG-29s from Poland to Ukraine.
President Duda announced the transfer earlier this month, stating that it would take place within the next few days. It is believed that the transfer will help Ukraine strengthen its defence capabilities.
Slovakia has promised to deliver 13 MiG fighter jets to Ukraine, with some of them likely to provide spare parts. The country made the announcement a day after a spokesman said the other jets were being serviced and readied for transfer.
Poland has decided to supply Ukraine with MiG combat aircraft, and this has caused an equipment gap. However, the country will be able to make up for this as new combat aircraft are delivered.
Poland is set to receive its first 48 FA-50 Fighting Eagles this year, produced in South Korea. The country is also expecting to receive 32 Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning IIs in 2024-2025.