Polish MiG-29s for Ukraine: Ambassador Details the Crucial Hurdles

Ukrainian Ambassador Vasyl Bodnar discusses the transfer of four Polish MiG-29 jets, highlighting major upgrade costs, military-level talks, and ongoing discussions regarding financing and technical capabilities.

Status of the Jets

Vasyl Bodnar stated that the matter concerns four aircraft already withdrawn from the Polish Air Force and transferred to the Armaments Agency. The Ukrainian side received a proposal to take them over, and its experts have already inspected the machines.

Our experts examined them, and these MiGs require serious and costly modernization, Bodnar said in an interview with European Pravda.

Modernization and Financing

The ambassador noted that dismantling the aircraft for spare parts is unlikely, as they remain operational structures with remaining flight life that other countries have also expressed demand for.

According to Bodnar, military-level talks are currently underway to determine whether an agreement can be reached to modernize the machines so they can be used, at least to a limited extent, to defend the Ukrainian sky.

Political Will and Drone Exchange Proposal

The ambassador emphasized that everything comes down to financing, the scope of modernization work, and the availability of equipment, which the Polish side sometimes lacks and which depends on supplies from third countries. He noted he would not want these conditions to be used instrumentally and stressed that there has been an unambiguous political will from the Polish side from the beginning to transfer the machines to Ukraine.

In late July, Polish Deputy Defense Minister Magdalena Sobkowiak-Czarnecka stated on Radio ZET that there is a concrete response from the Ukrainian side. She explained that Kiev returned to the table and sent Poland a concrete proposal regarding what type of drones it is able to transfer in exchange for the MiGs.

Defense Ministry Decisions

Sobkowiak-Czarnecka emphasized that a concrete answer regarding which drones can be transferred for the MiGs has been on the table for several days, and Defense Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz will make a decision after analysis within a maximum of a couple of weeks.

Asked whether Ukraine still wants Poland to finance the repair of these machines, she replied negatively, stating that discussions are now about an exchange where Poland sends the MiGs and the Ukrainian side transfers drones.

Background on Polish MiG-29 Transfers

In late last year, the Polish Ministry of National Defense and the General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces reported on plans to transfer some of the remaining MiG-29s from the Polish Air Force to Ukraine. These outdated, post-Soviet combat jets are reaching the end of their operational lifespan.

Several dozen Polish MiGs have already been delivered to Ukrainian pilots in previous years, and Ukraine was set to receive a few more, with Poland in return receiving access to drone technologies intensively developed and tested on the front lines.