Poland delivers MiG-29 fighter aircraft to Ukraine

In March, Ukraine received its first British main battle Challenger tanks and other Western-made armoured vehicles, CNN reported citing Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov…reports Asian Lite News

Poland has delivered “several” MiG-29 fighter aircraft to Ukraine, the Polish President’s foreign affairs adviser Marcin Przydacz said in an interview with Polish radio RMF FM, CNN reported.

Earlier on March 16, Poland said that Warsaw will send the aircraft, which were about to be decommissioned by the country’s air force, as per the news report. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to visit Poland on Wednesday, according to Przydacz.

Poland announced it would send the aircraft, which were about to be decommissioned by the country’s air force, on March 16. At that time, Polish President Andrzej Duda said that Poland is still using Mi-29 aircraft in the defence of Polish airspace.

Duda said that Poland can announce with confidence that Warsaw will send MiGs to Ukraine. At the time, he said, “When it comes to the MI-29 aircraft, which are still operating in the defence of Polish airspace, a decision has been taken at the highest levels, we can say confidently that we are sending MiGs to Ukraine,” according to CNN report.

Andrzej Duda further said, “We have a dozen or so MiGs that we got in the ’90s handed down from the German Democratic Republic and they are functional and play a part in the defence of our airspace. They are at the end of their operational life but are still functional.”

He announced that Poland will replace them with deliveries of “south Korean FA-50s and American F-35s.” Ukraine has been urging its allies to provide them with deliveries of fighter jets. So far, only Poland and Slovakia have promised to provide 13 MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine.

In March, Ukraine received its first British main battle Challenger tanks and other Western-made armoured vehicles, CNN reported citing Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov.

In a Facebook post, Reznikov said that Ukraine received Challengers (main battle tanks) from the United Kingdom, Strykers (infantry fighting vehicles) and Cougars (infantry mobility vehicles from the mine-resistant ambush-protected family) from the United States, and Marders (infantry fighting vehicles) from Germany, according to CNN report.

Amid the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy while expressing gratitude to Ukraine’s security personnel called the situation near Bakhmut “extremely hot,” according to the statement released by Ukraine President’s office.

While making a video address on April 3, Zelenskyy said that next week will be especially important for Ukraine’s defence and added that they are already making preparations for scheduled events and decisions.

“I am grateful to our warriors who are fighting near Avdiivka, Maryinka, near Bakhmut… Especially Bakhmut! It’s especially hot there today! Near Bilohorivka, near Kreminna and all our other cities, towns and villages of Donbass. The resilience of everyone is the resilience of the whole of Ukraine, helping everyone in a position nearby is helping the whole of Ukraine,” Zelenskyy said in a video address. (ANI)

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