Poland’s announced MiG-29 transfer
Poland has reportedly agreed to transfer two MiG-29 Fulcrum fighters to Ukraine, according to comments published by the Polish Rzeczpospolita and confirmed by Deputy National Defense Minister Paweł Zalewski to TVP Info. Rz reported that of the two aircraft, one has reached the end of its service life and may be cannibalized for parts while the other remains flight‑capable.
Poland had 14 MiG-29 aircraft as of December 2025, the source says, and a Polish official at that time estimated six to eight of those were nearing the end of their service life. The report notes it is unclear how many MiG-29s Poland currently retains overall. Rz also quoted Lt. Gen. Łukowski as saying the transfer will occur “in the near future.”
20x102mm cannon rounds and other munitions
Alongside the fighters, Rz reported Poland plans to provide Ukraine with 20x102mm combat rounds for the six‑barrel cannons fitted to F-16 fighters, plus 155mm and 152mm artillery ammunition and missiles for the Piorun short‑range anti‑aircraft systems. The 20x102mm rounds are presented in the report as a particularly urgent need for Ukrainian F-16 pilots.
The story reiterates that Ukraine has been straining to maintain stocks of air‑to‑air missiles: AIM‑9 Sidewinders and AIM‑120 AMRAAMs have been heavily expended against Russian cruise missiles and drones, forcing Ukrainian pilots to ration missile shots and increasingly rely on internal 20mm cannons when missiles are unavailable. The report says Kyiv has been seeking tens of thousands of additional 20mm rounds.
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See what we buildThe transfer in the wider equipment flow to Ukraine
The report places the Polish moves alongside a series of earlier donations to Kyiv. Poland’s initial MiG‑29 donation is credited with opening the door for transfers of aircraft from multiple NATO countries and with later deliveries of F‑16 Vipers and French Mirage 2000 fighters to Ukraine. Sweden is named separately as having agreed to provide 16 Gripen C/D fighters, with the first aircraft expected in early 2027, and an additional purchase of 16 Gripen E fighters with deliveries not scheduled to begin until early 2029.
How the Warsaw–Kyiv political rupture healed
Relations between Warsaw and Kyiv cooled sharply this summer after the Polish president, Karol Nawrocki, stripped Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of the Order of the White Eagle — Warsaw’s top award — a decoration presented to Zelensky in 2023. AFP reporting cited in the piece said the move followed Zelensky’s naming of a military unit after an insurgent army that took part in massacres against Poles in World War II.
The dispute escalated to the point that Poland canceled earlier plans to transfer additional MiG‑29s and, according to the report, complained that Ukraine would not transfer drone technology needed to defend against Russian threats. Signs of a thaw appeared in October: the report notes Zelensky resumed using Polish airports for overseas trips on Oct. 14 and told reporters that stopping at Rzeszów was a signal that relations were improving. “Our relations with Poland have indeed improved,” he said, adding thanks to the prime minister, Donald Tusk, and to the people of Poland for their support.
How the transfer affects the Ukrainian Air Force, Poland, and Sweden
- Ukrainian Air Force: Additional MiG‑29s would reinforce a force element that the report describes as the backbone of Ukraine’s fighter fleet, even as Kyiv operates newer F‑16s and Mirages. The 20mm rounds would relieve immediate pressure caused by heavy use of AIM‑9 and AIM‑120 missiles and the current practice of rationing missile shots.
- Poland (Ministry of National Defense): Warsaw is portrayed as moving from a period of canceled transfers back to concrete pledges, balancing the handover of flight‑capable aircraft against the use of airframes for parts. The report also makes clear that Polish officials cautioned deliveries could still encounter problems before material reaches Ukraine.
- Sweden: Named in the report for its separate fighter commitments, Sweden’s Gripen deliveries sit alongside Polish assistance as part of a broader pattern of multinational aircraft support described in the piece.
The Polish statements and confirmations published in Rz and TVP Info mark a visible diplomatic shift, but the report closes with a reminder that “there is still a lot that can go sideways before the aircraft and ammunition are in Ukrainian hands.” So far, the story says, there has been no official Ukrainian response to the Polish media reports.
