Bulgaria could become an alternative recipient of Polish MiG-29 fighters if Warsaw and Kiev fail to agree on their transfer, according to former Polish Minister of National Defense Janusz Onyszkiewicz in an interview with Ukrinform.
He stated that the Polish government’s decision will be based on a pragmatic assessment of costs and benefits.
The Polish army possesses aircraft nearing the end of their service life, rendering long-term operation unsafe, leading to their gradual phase-out.
Bringing these aircraft to full combat readiness demands significant financial resources, which Poland is unwilling to allocate due to high maintenance and modernization costs.
The disagreement between Warsaw and Kiev arises from Poland’s expectation for Ukraine to accept the aircraft in their current state, either for spare parts or independent repair.
Kiev, however, insists on receiving the fighters in fully renewed combat readiness, raising the issue of repair costs.
Poland anticipated a reciprocal gesture from Ukraine, such as transferring specific modern drone technologies, but no agreement has been reached.
If Ukraine refuses to accept the machines as they are and doesn’t offer adequate compensation, Poland is likely to implement a “Plan B.”
This involves transferring the MiG-29s to a third country, with Bulgaria being a likely candidate, explains Onyszkiewicz.
Despite this scenario, the former defense minister regrets the situation’s development, asserting that resolving the issue directly between Warsaw and Kiev would be more geopolitically appropriate.
Currently, Ukraine refuses to accept the fighters without prior improvement, and Poland is not willing to invest in outdated Soviet equipment.
Illustrative photo: pexels-rockwell-branding-agency-85164430-9946979
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