Polish defence ministry confirms transfer of two MiG-29 jets to Ukraine

Polish Defence Ministry representative Dariusz Łukowski has said that Poland will send two MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine in the near future.

Source: Polish media outlet Rzeczpospolita, citing the Director of the Strategy and Defence Planning Department of the Ministry of National Defence of Poland, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Rzeczpospolita reported that Poland will transfer two MiG-29 aircraft to Ukraine as part of its latest assistance package worth approximately €50 million.

In addition to the fighter jets, the country will also provide ammunition.

Łukowski also confirmed the transfer of two fighter jets to Ukraine. When asked when the transfer would take place, he replied: "In the near future. The decision has been made, and these two MiG-29s will be transferred."

It is reported that one of the aircraft has already reached the end of its service life, while the second is still airworthy.

Rzeczpospolita also noted that the aid package will include 155mm and 152mm artillery ammunition, 20 by 102mm ammunition for the six-barrelled cannons on F-16 fighter jets, as well as missiles for Piorun man-portable air defence systems.

Quote from the Polish Ministry of National Defence: "Poland is preparing another aid package for Ukraine. The scope of this support is determined by safety considerations for the Polish state and the resources of the armed forces, as established by the chief of the General Staff. As stated by the minister of national defence, we are preparing aid that includes equipment that the Polish Armed Forces are decommissioning (as it has reached the end of its service life) – equipment that will no longer be used by the Polish military, but may still be useful in Ukraine."

Meanwhile, the ministry declined to provide detailed information regarding what else will be included in the aid package for Ukraine due to confidentiality.

Background:

• In August, Ukraine's Ambassador to Poland Vasyl Bodnar said that dialogue with Poland on the transfer of four MiG-29 fighter jets was continuing, but there were several obstacles.
• In late June, Polish Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz had said Ukraine had withdrawn from the proposed "MiGs for drones" agreement. A few days later, he claimed the decision had been driven by the historical dispute between Kyiv and Warsaw.
• However, in July, Kosiniak-Kamysz spoke of progress in implementing the agreement.
• He later stated that Bulgaria wished to buy the Polish MiG-29 jets in which Ukraine was interested, but Warsaw was still not ruling out attempts to reach an agreement with Kyiv.

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