Berlin Approves Delivery of East German MiG-29 Fighter Jets to Ukraine

Illustration of Polish MiG-29 fighter jets. (Wikimedia Commons/konflicty/pl)

JAKARTA - Germany has agreed to Poland's request to transfer five Soviet-designed fighter jets to Ukraine, the country's Defense Ministry said on Thursday.

The German permit was required because it once owned a Soviet-designed MiG-29 aircraft, which was part of the East German communist military fleet.

"I welcome the fact that we in the federal government have reached this decision together," said German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius.

"This shows that you can rely on Germany," continued Minister Boris.

It is known that NATO member Poland was an early advocate for the delivery of fighter jets to Ukraine.

When Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited Warsaw a week ago, Polish President Andrzej Duda said his country had provided Ukraine with four MiG-29 jets, and another 10 were in various stages of being prepared for delivery.

Germany itself inherited 24 MiG-29 jets from East Germany during reunification in 1990. At the time, the aircraft was seen as one of the most advanced fighter jets in the world.

In 2004, Berlin ceded 22 of them to Poland. Of the two remaining jets, one was destroyed in a crash and one is on display in a museum.

Poland needs Berlin's approval to send the remaining jets to a third country.

Meanwhile, Ukraine, which plans to launch a retaliatory strike in the coming weeks or months, wants to secure fighter jets to defend against airstrikes.

Western nations have so far been reluctant to send advanced fighter jets such as the F-16 to Kyiv, but several countries have stepped in to deliver old MiG-29 jets already in service with Ukraine.

Slovakia has also promised MiG-29s to Ukraine. The country delivered four jets in late March and has pledged a total of 13.

Indeed, the Ukrainian air force is familiar with the MiG-29 and can immediately use the aircraft.

"We are looking forward to the delivery of weapons promised by our partners. We are bringing victory as close as possible," President Zelensky said in a speech Thursday night.

Previously, President Zelensky had lobbied western supporters for months to provide fighter jets, anti-aircraft defense systems and other equipment and ammunition.