As of: 03/16/2023 6:58 p.m
Since the beginning of the Russian war of aggression, Ukraine has wanted fighter jets. So far, NATO has been cautious. Poland has now announced that it will deliver Soviet-style machines “in the coming days”.
Poland intends to deliver the first Soviet-made MiG-29 fighter jets, which come from old GDR stocks, to Ukraine in the near future. “In the coming days we will (…) transfer four fully operational aircraft to Ukraine,” said President Andrzej Duda in Warsaw. According to his own words, Federal Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) was not informed about the Polish plans.
Fighter jets still in service with the Polish Air Force
Duda had previously received Czech President Petr Pavel for his inaugural visit. When asked, he then explained that there was a special decision by the Polish government. One can say with certainty that the fighter jets would go to Ukraine in the next few days.
Poland plans to deliver four Soviet-made MiG-29 fighter jets to Kiev
Tina von Löhneysen, ARD Warsaw, daily news at 5:00 p.m., March 16, 2023
More combat aircraft are currently being maintained and “probably transferred successively,” Duda continued. According to him, Poland has around a dozen MiG fighter jets, which it inherited from the GDR’s National People’s Army. “The MiGs are still in service with the Polish Air Force,” Duda pointed out. Most of them are “fully functional.”
Pistorius did not want to comment on the delivery
During a visit to the military base in Mahlwinkel in Saxony-Anhalt, Pistorius said he had “no confirmation from Poland” that the country wanted to deliver MiG fighter jets to Ukraine and when this could happen. The minister also did not comment on whether the MiGs were old GDR machines.
If the machines are actually from Germany, the federal government might have to approve the transfer to Ukraine. Pistorius did not want to comment on this topic when asked in Mahlwinkel – this would be a “purely hypothetical answer” that he wanted to avoid, he said.
Fighter jet delivery would be a surprise
Should Poland actually deliver MiG-29s single-handedly, that would be a surprise. Although the Polish government had repeatedly said it was ready to take the step, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki only said earlier this week that it would be ready in four to six weeks.
Only in the morning did the Polish defense minister emphasize that if Poland were to supply fighter jets, then only as part of an international coalition.
“Logical consequence”, Frank Sauer, University of the Federal Armed Forces Munich, about Poland’s fighter jet delivery to the Ukraine
tagesschau24 5:00 p.m., 16.3.2023
The USA and NATO have long urged restraint
Poland had considered supplying Soviet MiG-29 fighter jets shortly after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. They were supposed to go to Ukraine through the US Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany. At that time this did not happen. The USA and NATO have long urged restraint.
Officially, no planes have been delivered so far – only spare parts for MiG-29 came from Germany. According to unconfirmed media reports, North Macedonia has handed over four SU-25 jets to Kiev. In addition to Poland, Slovakia is also ready to deliver MiG-29 jets.
With information from Martin Adam, ARD Studio Warsaw