A Ukrainian Air Force MiG-29 (NATO reporting name: Fulcrum) was spotted with a camouflage scheme typically associated with Azerbaijan, armed with R-27 medium-range and R-73 short-range air-to-air missiles.
The photo was shared on X Wednesday by the self-described open-source intelligence (OSINT) investigator “Cloooud.”
Although the date and the exact location of the unverified photo are not clear, it appears that the Ukrainian Air Force has “commandeered” a former Azerbaijani Air Force aircraft for use in its war with Russia that was triggered by the February 2022 full-scale invasion.
On Feb. 24, 2022, it was reported that three Azerbaijani Air Force MiG-29s were undergoing repairs and modernization at the Lviv State Aircraft Repair Plant, which specializes in the maintenance and modernization of MiG-29s for Ukraine and foreign customers. These were likely part of the 15 MiG-29s sold to Azerbaijan by Kyiv in 2007.
In the following March, Russian forces hit the site, during which it was claimed that the facility and aircraft stored at the site were damaged or destroyed.
It seems that at least one survived and was repaired and returned to service. Ukraine has relied on upgraded Soviet-era Fulcrums as a key element of its air defense forces, some of which have been adapted to launch US-made AGM-88 HARM (anti-radar) missiles.
The presence of air-to-air missiles on the aircraft depicted suggests that it is used to defend against Russian aircraft, cruise missiles or drones.
Even one additional MiG-29, alongside those transferred from Poland and Slovakia, represents a boost to the Ukrainian Air Force as losses have been heavy, with around 30 of Kyiv’s Fulcrums destroyed or damaged by the start of the year, allowing Ukraine to “hold the ring” ahead of the anticipated arrival of more F-16 and Mirage fighters from its European allies.
Commentators have speculated on whether Ukraine simply requisitioned the Azeri aircraft or whether Baku sold or donated the aircraft.
Until recently, Azerbaijan has attempted to remain militarily neutral and has abstained from UN votes condemning Moscow while providing tens of millions of dollars in humanitarian aid and voicing support for Ukraine’s territorial integrity.
In recent months, Baku has pivoted away from Moscow in a marked deterioration in their bilateral relations following the shooting down of Azerbaijan Airlines Flight 8243 over Chechnya in December 2024, raids on Azeri-owned businesses in Russia’s Yekaterinburg that led to several deaths and injuries, and Russian strikes on Azerbaijani-owned energy assets in Ukraine’s Odesa region.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev criticized Russian behavior in an Aug. 8 interview with US media while attending a “peace summit” engineered by US President Donald Trump with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in Washington.