Source: Global Times New Media
According to the US "The drive" website reported on February 28, at present, many social media accounts, including official accounts related to Ukrainian lawmakers, are heatedly discussing the idea that many European countries will ship 70 Soviet-made fighters to Ukraine. There are also media reports that Ukrainian pilots have arrived in Poland to pick up the fighters. However, many have found that, in contrast to such claims from the European Union about the supply of fighter jets to Ukraine, there are doubts about the number of existing fighters of this type among the implied aircraft providers.
According to the report, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Borrelli announced on the 27th that the "fighter jet" will be part of a large-scale military assistance plan developed by the EU for Ukraine, and hinted that these fighters will be models that Ukraine is already using so that its pilots can be put into battle faster. His remarks narrowed the selection to MiG-29 fighters from Poland, Slovakia and Bulgaria, and Su-25 attack aircraft from Bulgaria.
Bulgarian Su-25 attack aircraft Foreign media infographic
On the evening of the 28th, the US Political News Network (Politico) quoted unnamed Ukrainian government officials as saying that Ukrainian pilots had arrived in Poland to receive these fighters. The website also noted that the official Twitter account of the Ukrainian parliament also posted information about the upcoming delivery of 70 fighter jets from Poland, Slovakia and Bulgaria, including 28 MiG-29 fighters from Poland, 12 MiG-29 fighters in Slovakia, 16 MiG-29s and 14 Su-25 fighters from Bulgaria.
Screenshot of a Ukrainian parliamentary tweet
But the Drive website points out that there are many problems with such claims. First, the EU spokesman contradicted Borrell's claims, making it clear that plans to transfer any such "fighter jets" to Ukraine have not been approved and must be agreed to by the countries concerned. Political News Network noted that polish and Slovak government spokesmen did not respond to requests for comment.
At the same time, Hans von der Burchard, a reporter for the European edition of the Us Political News Network, tweeted earlier on the 28th that as far as he knew, the Polish government refused to participate in the proposed arrangement. In addition, he also said that a spokesman for Bulgarian Prime Minister Petkov said that the Bulgarian government completely rejected the idea of sending fighter jets to Ukraine.
Bulgaria's Sofia News Agency (Novinite) said on the 28th that Bulgarian Prime Minister Petkov refuted relevant reports, saying that the country would not provide fighter jets to Ukraine. "In general, we lack fighters and we can't give anyone what we have," he said. We only have a small number of fighters that are fit to fly, and we have problems with the supply of parts. It is completely absurd to give them away at this time. ”
Screenshot of the report by the Sofia News Agency in Bulgaria
According to the Slovak "Domov.sme.sk" website on the 28th, Slovakian Defense Minister Yaroslav Najib also categorically denied that Slovakia will provide fighter jets to Ukraine in addition to providing humanitarian assistance, fuel and ammunition.
The Drive website notes that the figure of 70 aircraft is virtually equivalent to the total number of MiG-29 and Su-25 aircraft active in service in Poland, Slovakia and Bulgaria, making this number highly questionable. Thomas Newdick, editor of the site's Warzone Channel, said the number was actually more than the total number of warplanes now available in those countries.
In addition, the Information Bureau of the Ukrainian Navy said on Social Media on March 1 that fighter jets planned to be supplied to Ukraine by Bulgaria, Poland and Slovakia would be deployed at airports in Poland if necessary, from where Ukrainian pilots would carry out combat missions. But the Drive website notes that there is no evidence for this claim, and that, if true, would make Poland a party to the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, which would almost certainly involve other NATO members, which has made it clear that it is doing everything possible to avoid it.
Polish President Duda Image source: Associated Press
According to the latest report of the Russian News Agency, Polish President Duda said on March 1 after meeting with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg that Poland is not a party to the Ukrainian conflict and will not send planes there. "We will not send our aircraft to [Ukraine], because that would mean NATO involved in the conflict," he said. NATO is not a party to the conflict. Our aircraft is not currently flying over Ukraine. ”