Ukraine and Poland to jointly modernise MiG-29 fighter jets that Polish side will hand over

Ukraine and Poland are deepening cooperation in the defence sector, in particular on strengthening the Air Force, and will jointly work on modernising MiG-29 fighter jets that the Polish side plans to hand over.

Source: Defence Minister Mykhailo Fedorov on Friday 30 January

Details: Fedorov held talks with Poland's Minister of National Defence, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, during which they discussed enhancing Ukraine's air defence.

Fedorov reported that the delivery of aircraft, which are critically important for protecting Ukraine's airspace, was one of the key topics. Warsaw had already transferred such fighter jets in 2023.

"We separately discussed the hand-over of MiG-29 aircraft to Ukraine – an important component for defending our skies… We will work together on their modernisation to increase their effectiveness and ability to strike enemy targets," Fedorov said.

For his part, the minister said that Ukraine is ready to share its solutions in countering Shahed drones. "Data from the battlefield and our practical experience can be useful in strengthening the capabilities of the Polish armed forces," he noted.

Background:

• In mid-January, Poland's Deputy Defence Minister Paweł Zalewski said that the Polish government had decided to hand over up to nine MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine, although technical negotiations were still ongoing.
• Warsaw has stated that it is ready to hand over MiG-29s in exchange for access to certain missile and drone technologies.

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