Poland is set to dispatch four Mig fighter jets of Soviet-era vintage to Ukraine, marking the first instance of a Nato country sending planes to the conflict zone since Russia’s invasion last year.

According to Polish President Andrzej Duda, the fighter jets will be dispatched in the next few days, while additional planes will be delivered in the future, BBC reported.

While the additional fighter jets are a welcomed addition to Ukraine’s air defense, they are not anticipated to be a decisive factor in the ongoing conflict.

Olena Kondratyuk, the deputy speaker of Ukraine’s parliament, expressed her hope that other countries would follow suit and provide similar assistance, as reported by the BBC.

Several NATO countries are reportedly contemplating sending Soviet-era planes, which Ukrainian pilots are proficient in operating. In the past, Ukraine has requested contemporary fighter jets, such as the F-16, from Western nations.

The United Kingdom is providing training to Ukrainian pilots on NATO-compliant aircraft. However, due to the extensive training required, it has cautioned that supplying Western fighter jets would only be a viable option in the long term.

Written by staff