Poland may transfer MiG-29s to Ukraine, but there's catch
Poland has the opportunity to provide Ukraine with a MiG-29 in a few months, but it depends on the readiness of its allies, stated Dariusz Materniak, a security expert and editor-in-chief of the Polish-Ukrainian portal polukr.net.
According to Materniak, the MiG-29 transfer will strengthen the potential of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, especially since Ukraine already has such aircraft capable of carrying Western-made weapons.
"The main issue is that, for now, it’s impossible to replace Poland’s MiG-29s with other combat aircraft of comparable capabilities. Much of this depends on allies, primarily the United States, which has the greatest capabilities to supply combat aircraft," the expert noted.
Materniak added that if Poland manages to secure the delivery of combat aircraft, such as F-16s, then Warsaw could transfer its MiGs to Ukraine. If the decision is made, the transfer of the aircraft to Kyiv would take a few months at most.
Polish MiG-29s have been modernized
As the expert explained, the MiG-29 aircraft currently in service with the Polish army, despite their age (these are the aircraft that Warsaw received during the Warsaw Pact and those that were in service with the army of the German Democratic Republic), still have a certain combat potential.
“Mainly due to the fact that they have been overhauled and partially modernized, especially in terms of adapting their avionics and electronic systems to NATO standards,” Materniak added.
What happened before
On August 27, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said during a press conference that Ukraine needed Polish MiG-29s. However, there is no decision on the supply yet. He specifically noted the need for a decision from Poland regarding the downing of enemy drones and missiles over Ukrainian territory that are headed toward Polish airspace.
Later, Polish Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said that Warsaw would be able to transfer MiG-29s only after receiving new fighters ordered from the allies.
