Poland has approved the transfer of nine MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine, Deputy Defense Minister Pawel Zalewski confirmed on January 15.

Poland has confirmed it is preparing to transfer between six and eight MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine, drawn from the 14 aircraft still listed in its military inventory, a senior defense official said.

Poland is in talks with Ukraine on the possible transfer of MiG-29 fighter jets, the Polish Armed Forces General Staff announced on X.

Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) claims to have stopped an alleged operation by Ukrainian and British intelligence to recruit Russian pilots to steal a MiG-31 fighter jet equipped with a Kinzhal hypersonic missile, Russian state media reported on Tuesday.

A Ukrainian MiG-29 pilot, Major Serhii Bondar, died early on August 23 while landing following a combat mission, the Ukrainian Air Force confirmed. The cause of the crash is still under investigation.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed hope that Kyiv will still acquire Soviet-made MiG-29 fighter jets from Poland, despite Warsaw not yet approving the transfer.

Warsaw is considering delivering MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine amid the ongoing war with Russia, Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski has announced.