Poland will transfer two MiG-29 fighters to Ukraine in the near future, alongside a military aid package worth €50 million, according to Rzeczpospolita. Dariusz Lukowski, a senior Polish defence ministry official, told the newspaper the decision to hand over the aircraft has been made. But the two jets will not provide two new flying fighters: one has reached the end of its service life and may be used for parts, while the other remains airworthy.
The Aircraft
That distinction carries more weight than the headline count. A serviceable MiG-29 can reinforce Ukraine’s fleet. A grounded airframe can help keep other aircraft flying. Poland previously sent Ukraine 14 MiG-29s in 2022 and 2023, in varying technical condition.
The latest transfer continues that support, but it should be described honestly: one flying aircraft and one possible source of spares, not two combat-ready jets.
The Ammunition
The package also includes 155mm and 152mm artillery rounds, 20mm ammunition for the cannons on Ukraine’s F-16s, and missiles for Piorun short-range air-defence systems. These are supplies for different fights happening at once. Artillery crews need rounds on the ground. F-16 pilots need cannon ammunition, including for engagements with Russian drones. Piorun crews need missiles to protect Ukrainian forces and the places Russia attacks.
Counting aircraft alone misses much of the value of this shipment. A fighter that can fly still needs weapons and maintenance. An air-defence team with an empty launcher cannot stop a drone. Poland is sending consumables that Ukrainian crews can put to work, not just equipment that looks impressive in a delivery announcement.
Patriot Interceptors
Poland will also provide five more PAC-3 MSE missiles for Ukraine’s Patriot systems through an international initiative led by the US and NATO, after supplying five earlier in 2026. That makes ten Polish-provided interceptors this year.
They are precious rounds, but ten is a small number against the scale of Russia’s missile attacks.
Ukraine needs a sustained flow of Patriot interceptors, not occasional handfuls. The package brings an airworthy jet, potential spare parts and ammunition across several layers of Ukraine’s defence. Each part has a practical use. None should be inflated into a substitute for the volume of supplies Ukraine needs to keep its aircraft flying, its guns firing and its skies protected.
