Ukraine conflict: Slovakia joins Poland in pledging MiG-29s to Ukraine

Slovakian MiG-29s are soon to be in the service of the Ukrainian Air Force, according to an announcement made by the country's prime minister on 17 March. (Slovakian Ministry of Defence)

Slovakia has followed Poland's decision to send MiG-29 ‘Fulcrum' combat aircraft to Ukraine, with the government announcing that it is to transfer its entire fleet.

Slovakian Prime Minister Eduard Heger said on 17 March that 13 MiG-29s that are no longer used operationally by the Slovak Air Force are to be gifted to Ukraine. His announcement came a day after Polish President Andrzej Duda said that an initial four aircraft are being prepared for handover, with the remainder of the fleet likely to follow later.

Janes World Air Forces lists nine single-seat and two twin-seat MiG-29s in the Slovakia inventory, meaning that the ‘13' figure stated by Heger will include stored aircraft to be used for spares. Poland has 11 single-seat and three twin-seat MiG-29s in its inventory.

The Slovak and Polish announcements came 12 months after both countries first declared they were ready to transfer their MiG-29 fleet to Ukraine. Bulgaria, as the only other NATO operator of the type, has not made any public pronouncement as to its intentions.