In Addition to Polish MiG-29s, Ukraine Also Wants to Receive Repair Equipment in Exchange for Drones

In addition to the Polish MiG-29s, Ukraine also wants to receive additional equipment and tools for the maintenance of aircraft in exchange for the supply of drones.

This was reported by the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine in response to a request from Militarnyi.

According to the ministry, negotiations are currently underway between Poland and Ukraine regarding the possible transfer of aircraft for the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

This confirms a recent statement by Polish Minister of National Defence Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz regarding the resumption of negotiations.

The ministry also reported that, in addition to aircraft, the Armed Forces of Ukraine are interested in acquiring additional equipment and instruments for the maintenance of aviation equipment, as well as the relevant repair and operational documentation.

The Polish side, for its part, expressed interest in acquiring various types of Ukrainian-made unmanned systems in exchange for the transfer of aircraft.

In addition, the ministry confirmed that in the fall of 2025, representatives of the Ukrainian Armed Forces conducted a technical inspection of a certain number of these aircraft.

According to the Polish publication Onet, Ukrainian military personnel inspected 14 fighter jets and, following the inspection, were dissatisfied with their technical condition, as the aircraft requires repairs before being put into service.

Due to a prolonged lack of proper maintenance, the technical condition of the MiG-29s was deemed unsatisfactory, and the condition of the landing gear was a particular cause for concern among experts.

However, the Ukrainian side expressed its willingness to accept the Polish fighter jets on the condition that they undergo a major overhaul and modernization. This can be done in Poland at the WZL-2 facility in Bydgoszcz. Another condition was that the Polish side would cover the costs.

For the Ministry of National Defence of Poland, this requirement proved unacceptable, as the modernization of post-Soviet aircraft would have entailed costs not foreseen in the political decision. Consequently, the negotiations reached an impasse at that time.

In mid-July, Poland’s Minister of National Defence stated that the country was ready to assist Ukraine with the modernization of its MiG-29 fighter jets, but that the costs of this project would have to be covered by Ukraine or its partner countries.