• Russian technicians appear to have sabotaged MiG-29 jets headed to Ukraine, Slovakia's Defense Minister said.

• The defects only appeared in parts the Russians worked on, the minister said.

• Slovakia offered its Soviet-era MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine late last month.

Russian technicians appear to have sabotaged MiG-29 fighter jets headed to Ukraine, Slovakia said.

The technicians, who were working on a Slovak air base until late 2022, had access to the jets and appear to have damaged some parts ahead of delivery to Kyiv.

Slovak Defense Minister Jaroslav Nad said the jets "were able to fly, but that doesn't mean they were also capable of combat," according to The Kyiv Independent.

Nad added that the defects in the jets "appeared only in those parts accessed by Russians."

The technicians were hired on a long-term contract to handle major repairs of the Soviet-era jets, the Kyiv Independent noted.

Nad added that Ukraine has the resources to fix the defects and get the jets fully operational.

"They have pilots, spare parts, and a company that has worked on MiGs since the Soviet times," he said.

Weeks ago, Slovakia and Poland pledged to send Ukraine fleets of MiG-29 fighter jets. The two NATO members promised the additional airpower would help Kyiv as it fights Russia's unprovoked war that has stretched longer than a year.

The Soviet-designed jets aren't much different than Ukraine's own MiG-29s, and some are reportedly only useful for spare parts.

Ukrainian officials have pushed Western countries for more modern jets such as F-16s.

The Biden administration has repeatedly said the US isn't planning to provide fighter jets.

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