Poland to scrap Ukraine’s MiG-29s over drone technology transfer row
A diplomatic spat that has seen Polish President Karol Nawrocki strip Ukrainian President Zelenskyy of the Order of the White Eagle, Poland’s highest state honour, and Zelenskyy return the award via international post. Now, Poland has said it will not follow through with MiG-29 transfers to Ukraine and will instead scrap the aircraft.
Poland will not transfer MiG-29s to Ukraine
In January 2026, AGN reported that Poland and Ukraine were nearing an agreement to transfer the remaining nine Polish MiG-29s to Ukraine in exchange for drone-related technology.
However, relations between the two countries have worsened amid a spat over nationalist history dating back to WWII. Specifically, Zelenskyy’s decision to name a Ukrainian military unit after the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA), accused of atrocities against Poles during WWII, but linked to Ukrainian independence and nationalism.
The maxim “the enemy of my enemy is my friend” is only partially true, especially when tested over an extended period of time in times of heightened nationalism.
The Polish Minister of National Defence claims that Ukraine is failing to implement the agreement to exchange drone technology. The retirement date for these legacy aircraft will not be made public.
The MiG-29’s role is being taken over by Polish KA-50 Golden Eagles being recieved from South Korea, with new F-35s soon to form the top-tier capability of the Polish Air Force.
The Polish Air Force has operated MiG-29s since 1989, and the remaining aircraft are based at 22nd Tactical Air Base in Królewo Malborski.
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Poland to scrap its remaining MiG-29s
According to reporting by the Polish news outlet Wirtualna Polska, Poland has decided not to transfer the aircraft to Ukraine. These ageing aircraft will now be periodically withdrawn from use and scrapped.
Deputy Prime Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, head of the Ministry of National Defence, said, “We presented Ukraine with a clear offer regarding drones and technology. Initially, there was agreement in this area. Today, Ukraine is not implementing this agreement. We are ready for further talks.”
Poland originally transferred 14 of its MiG-29s in 2024, but held back nine of them as a bridge to receiving the KA-50 and F-35. But now the issue may seem petty.
Wirtualna Polska says that the aircraft are to be withdrawn from Polish service anyway. They have reached their target operational lifespans, and there is no prospect of modernising them in Polish service.
Ukrainian Air Force MiG-29 Fulcrum shooting down a Russian Shahed attack drone over Dnipro this week using an R-27 AAM. pic.twitter.com/7EkfcorPgH
— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) June 19, 2026
The publication writes, “To put it simply: the MiGs are simply wearing out – they’re exceeding their certified flight hours, and no one plans to invest in their further modernisation.”
The possibility that the jets will be quietly transferred after the spat blows over remains open.
Eastern Europe transitions to Western jets
All countries in Eastern Europe (except Belarus) are transitioning away from legacy MiG-29s and Soviet- and Russian-origin jets. For Ukraine, these MiG-29s would have been another stopgap as it transitions to a fleet of F-16s, Mirage 2000s, Saab Gripens, and Rafale Dassaults.
It takes time to retrain pilots and maintenance crews to operate these jets. One of the biggest issues Ukraine has with F-16s is a lack of trained pilots; this is less of a factor with MiG-29s.
Many of Ukraine’s remaining legacy Soviet-origin jets have been pushed well past their shelf lives and are in desperate need of retirement, as the crash of a Su-24 in June showed.
The Russian military says that it targeted Ukrainian MiG-29 fighters at Voznesensk airfield in Mykolaiv oblast with Geran-4 Seeker OWA drones. https://t.co/tqBHzyFWR5 https://t.co/ATNnEfj3rF pic.twitter.com/5UCRw3Wxv7
— Rob Lee (@RALee85) June 27, 2026
Legacy Ukrainian fighter jets are also continuing to experience attrition; last week, a Ukrainian MiG-29 was shot down, and another was destroyed on the ground.
Featured Image: Wikimedia Commons
