Poland is considering sending six to eight retired MiG‑29 fighter jets to Ukraine in a potential boost to Kyiv’s air capabilities, Polish Deputy Defense Minister Cezary Tomczyk said Sunday.
The aircraft in question are among a group of MiG-29s slated to be withdrawn from Polish service by the end of December.
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Tomczyk said the transfer would not weaken Poland’s defense capabilities and could be formalized during President Volodymyr Zelensky’s upcoming visit to Warsaw, where he is set to meet Polish President Karol Nawrocki on Dec. 19 – the two’s first meeting since Nawrocki’s August election victory.
“These aircraft are leaving the Polish army at the end of December,” Tomczyk said in an interview with TVN24. “They can end up in a museum, be sold, scrapped – or they can go to Ukraine and help destroy our enemies.”
Poland’s military command has earlier confirmed that it is considering donating its remaining MiG‑29s as part of a potential technology swap, which could give Warsaw access to Ukrainian drone and missile innovations.
The Polish Armed Forces’ General Staff said last week that “talks are underway,” noting that the aging Soviet-era aircraft are nearing the end of their operational life and will not be modernized.
No final decision has been made, Polish officials said. “The donation of the aircraft would be part of the alliance’s policy of supporting Ukraine and maintaining security on NATO’s eastern flank,” the General Staff wrote on X.
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If the MiG‑29s are transferred, Poland plans to rely on US-made F-16s and South Korean FA-50s to fill the gap in its air fleet. In return, Ukraine could share selected drone and missile technologies, part of a joint effort to develop new defense capabilities.
Ukraine currently operates around 40 MiG‑29s, according to the Polish state news agency PAP. Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022, Kyiv has already received 14 MiG‑29s from Poland and 13 from Slovakia.
The MiG‑29s could provide Ukraine with a short-term boost to its air defense and strike capabilities, particularly as Russian forces continue missile and drone attacks across the country.
Zelensky has hinted at plans to modernize Ukraine’s post-war air fleet with NATO aircraft, with ongoing talks with Sweden and France over the potential procurement of hundreds of Gripen and Rafale fighters over the next decade.
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