Poland receives NATO inquiry over MiG-29 jets

Poland has received an inquiry from a NATO ally regarding its fleet of MiG-29 fighter jets, even as Warsaw maintains that its priority is to transfer the aircraft to Ukraine, Polish officials said.

Polish Deputy Defence Minister Paweł Zalewski confirmed the request, first reported by Radio ZET, but declined to identify the country involved. When asked whether Bulgaria had made the inquiry, he did not respond.

Within NATO, only Poland and Bulgaria currently operate MiG-29 fighter jets. Bulgaria is in the process of transitioning to U.S.-made F-16V aircraft, though it has so far received only an initial batch, with further deliveries not expected before 2027.

According to available data, Bulgaria has 16 MiG-29s, of which only six are operational. EU sanctions have cut off access to Russian spare parts, prompting Sofia to seek alternative sources for maintenance — potentially including components from Poland’s fleet.

However, Bulgaria is not prepared to transfer its own MiG-29s to Ukraine, citing concerns over maintaining the combat readiness of its air force.

Poland has previously indicated that its MiG-29s could be supplied to Ukraine, but the status of those plans remains uncertain.

According to an earlier report by Russian media citing an unnamed source, Ukraine is no longer pursuing the acquisition of Polish MiG-29s due to concerns over their condition and the cost of making them combat-ready.

“Ukrainian military personnel even travelled to Poland specifically to inspect the aircraft in question. The conclusion was that the planes require expensive repairs and modernisation,” the source said.

The report added that Ukrainian officials consider the aircraft of limited operational value in their current state and are unwilling to accept them without substantial refurbishment.

By Tamilla Hasanova