POLAND – NEWS
Poland will deliver the first batch of four MiG-29 fighter-bombers to Ukraine, the first such delivery by a NATO member.
“In the coming days we are putting four aircraft into full operation, the rest are undergoing maintenance and will probably be handed over later,” Polish President Andrzej Duda announced on Thursday.
He added that the MiG-29s are “aircraft that Ukrainian pilots can use today without additional training”.
"We need F-16s."
Kiev has repeatedly asked its Western allies to send it advanced fighter-bombers, hoping to receive US F-16s.
In response to Poland’s gesture, White House spokesman John Kirby told reporters that Poland’s decision “does not change” the US refusal to do the same, while recalling that President Joe Biden had publicly opposed the delivery of combat aircraft to Ukraine.
For his part, Ukrainian Air Force spokesman Yuriy Ignat said: “MiGs will not solve the problem, we need F-16s. But MiGs will help to strengthen our capabilities.”
Moscow's reaction
The Kremlin has reacted with another accusation of the West’s direct involvement in the conflict by supplying weapons to Ukraine, Reuters has reported.
“In a special military operation, all this equipment will be subject to destruction,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters today.
“The impression is that all these countries are thus engaged in the disposal of old unnecessary equipment,” he said.
