Poland urges Germany to approve export of old fighter jets to Ukraine
Fighter jets have been one of Ukraine’s most required war equipment since the early stages of the Russian invasion, but the focus had initially been on getting advanced Western tanks
Poland plans to supply more than a dozen MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine. Reuters
Berlin: Poland has asked for the German government’s nod to export old German MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine to bolster Kyiv’s air power against the Russian troops, a defence ministry spokesperson based in Berlin said on Thursday.
German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius has indicated that a decision on the jets will be taken soon. The Polish defence ministry in Warsaw, however, did not immediately comment.
Germany inherited 24 MiG-29 jets from the East German GDR at the time of the country’s reunification in early 1990. At the time, the aircraft were seen as among the most advanced fighter jets in the world.
With passage of time, in 2004, Germany passed on 22 of the aircraft to Poland. Of the remaining two jets, one was destroyed in an air crash and one is on display at a museum.
Fighter jets have been one of Ukraine’s most required war equipment since the early stages of the Russian invasion, but the focus had initially been on getting advanced Western tanks.
Calls for Western fighter jets have been stepped up since Germany agreed to send Leopard 2 tanks and the US delivered a batch of Abrams to Ukraine.
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