Several MiG-29 fighter aircraft have been delivered to Ukraine to aid it in its fight against Russia, Marcin Przydacz, Head of the International Policy Bureau of the President of Poland, said to RMF24 radio on Monday.
The transfer would make Poland the first Ukrainian ally to supply it with warplanes. Polish President Andrzej Duda said on March 16 that four of the aircraft would be delivered in the coming days.
Przydacz said that there would be further transfers of fighter craft to Ukraine. Duda said that Poland has around 20 MiG-29s, Reuters reported.
MiG-29 are Soviet-designed fighter jets, which already have been in use in the Ukrainian air force, inherited after the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
Ukraine looking for air force help from allies
Poland had proposed in March 2022 to send the fighters to Ukraine in return for new US-made jets, but the idea was opposed by the American government.
Ukraine has long lobbied allied nations for new aircraft to combat the over-year-long invasion of the state by Russia. Western nations have been hesitant to comply with Ukraine's requests, over concerns that the supplying of jet fighters would escalate tensions with Russia.
Kyiv has continued to call for the donation of American-made F-16 Fighting Falcons to Ukraine. While Ukrainian officials have also requested other NATO aircraft, the F-16 has featured prominently in Ukrainian public relations materials, speeches, and social media engagement.
Russia has a superior air force to Ukraine in both numbers and in modern platforms but has failed to achieve complete air superiority over Ukraine. Ukraine still maintains an active contingent of combat aircraft, and its forces have also used various Western anti-air systems to great effect.