Azerbaijan transfers MiG-29 fighters to Ukraine’s air force
With the arrival of F-16s and Mirage 2000-5s in Ukraine—now operating in greater numbers with the Ukrainian Air Force—it is easy to forget that earlier, Western allies such as Slovakia and Poland had delivered part of their Soviet-origin MiG-29 fighter fleets to Kyiv. However, through images that went viral during the past week, another country may also have completed the transfer of this type of aircraft: Azerbaijan, which has embarked on replacing its MiG-29s with the more modern JF-17 Thunder Block III purchased from Pakistan, Zona Militar writes.
As noted, More than three years after the start of the large-scale invasion in late February 2022, and despite the incorporation of Western aircraft—such as F-16s transferred by the Netherlands, Norway, and Denmark, and French Mirage 2000s—the Mikoyan MiG-29 continues to be one of the main workhorses of the Ukrainian Air Force.
According to multiple reports, the Soviet-era aircraft inherited by Ukraine remain in service across missions ranging from air cover, interception, and escort to the riskiest strike operations against ground targets and close air support. For these missions, much like other aircraft in service such as the Su-24, Su-25, and Su-27, the MiG-29s have been employed with various Western-supplied munitions, including AASM bombs with the HAMMER kit provided by France and U.S.-made Small Diameter Bombs (SDB).
According to estimates, Poland and Slovakia together have delivered 28 fighters directly to Kyiv from their air forces. In recent days, a MiG-29 in service with the Ukrainian Air Force was spotted carrying the distinctive paint scheme previously used by the Azerbaijani Air Force.
Although no official announcement has been made, Azerbaijan and Ukraine maintain multiple cooperation ties, as demonstrated by the agreements signed since both nations’ independence, sharing a common past as former Soviet republics. This has led Baku to carry out targeted transfers of weapons and equipment to the Ukrainian Armed Forces, albeit unofficially, considering the delicate balance of power in the Caucasus, where Russia and Armenia remain key players.
