Slovakia Sends First of Thirteen MiG-29 Jets After Poland Pledges Four

A Polish MiG-29A landing in RAF Fairford, England in 2016. Photo: Public Domain/Adrian Pingstone

Last week on Friday, March 17, Slovakia announced that it would be providing 13 MiG-29 jet fighters to Ukraine; this came only a day after Poland had pledged four. Other western countries have sent billions of dollars for weapons aid to support Ukraine’s war effort. However, this marks the first time in which countries have offered to donate fighter jets to actively recover Ukrainian territory. Since January, Ukraine has been appealing to its allies for modern fighter jets to help defend against Russian forces along the frontlines and to protect the energy infrastructure that has been targeted by Russia. 

In an interview with the Guardian, the deputy defense minister of Ukraine, Volodymyr Havrylov, expressed his belief that technological superiority is key to winning the war. Hence, Ukraine’s requests for jets and precision weapons. Havrylov contended that superior western equipment would enable Ukraine to repel Russian forces from the frontlines, which would not only help to counterbalance the significant number of troops Russia put into mobilization but also avoid further Ukrainian casualties from close combat situations. 

“With technological superiority, it doesn’t matter how many [troops] they will send to us because we will use this equipment, new equipment, and technologies in such a way that we will try to escape direct, close fighting to kill them before they can reach us,” said Havrylov, emphasizing the potential of western military equipment. This approach would save the lives of Ukrainians and help them win the war.

The move is also likely to have wider implications for the relationship between NATO and Russia. Russia has historically viewed NATO as a threat to its own security and has often responded to its expansion with military build-ups of its own. This has led to a number of tense moments between the two sides, including the ongoing conflict in eastern Ukraine. The decision by Slovakia to provide military assistance to Ukraine is likely to be viewed by Russia as a direct challenge to its influence in the region and may provoke a response against NATO and the western world.

President Putin and President Biden meeting back in 2021. Photo: Alexander Zemlianichenko/AP  

In February, President Biden said the war in Ukraine was never a necessity, saying “It’s a tragedy. President Putin chose this war. Every day that the war continues is his choice. He could end the war with a word.” Furthermore, Biden ascertained and reaffirmed the power of NATO and its historical significance in fighting the Soviet Union. He expressed that “NATO is more united and more unified… than ever before.” This move on the part of NATO countries sending aid to Ukraine can be manifested as a proxy conflict between the United States and Russia.

In addition, Slovakia will receive additional funding of  200 million euros from the EU and 700 million euros from the United States in military funding for providing these jets to Ukraine. This direct deal with the US can be seen as a military threat to Russia. Russia will likely perceive this as a provocation by the US, and lead to even more increased tension between the two nations.