Poland plans to deliver to Ukraine a dozen MiG-29 fighter jetssaid the Polish president on Thursday, being the first NATO member country responding to the urgent request for aircraft from the Ukrainian government.
the polish president Andrzej Duda He said his country will deliver four of the Soviet-made planes in the coming days and the rest must be examined for later delivery.
Duda did not clarify if other countries will do the same, although Slovakia has announced that it will send its disused MiGs to Ukraine.
Duda said that Poland currently has a dozen MiG aircraft which he inherited from the former German Democratic Republic.
“These MiGs are still in service with the Polish air force. They are in their last few years of operation, but for the most part are still working at full capacity”Duda said.
The MiGs transferred to Ukraine will be replaced in their country by South Korean FA-50 aircraft purchased by Poland, to be followed by American F-35.
Earlier on Thursday, the Polish Defense Minister, Mariusz Blaszczakhad said that Poland wanted to transfer MiG-29 jets to Ukraine “within the framework of a broader coalition of countries.”
Asked about the countries of this coalition, Blaszczak mentioned Slovakiabut added that “of course we are open to others.”
“We absolutely want to carry out our activity within the framework of a coalition,” he added.
Last year, Slovakiaa neighbor of Poland, had said that she was willing to discuss the shipment of MiG-29 aircraft to help replace the losses of Ukraine’s current reserves.
However, since then no final decision has been made.
Duda made the Polish announcement after holding talks with his Czech counterpart Peter Pavelformer general of the NATO.
The president’s comments came after his defense minister earlier said the Polish counterintelligence had dismantled a Russian spy network.
Blaszczak told Polish public radio that it was an “espionage group… collecting information for those who attacked Ukraine.”
(With information from AFP)
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Source-www.infobae.com