Poland wants to hand over Soviet-type fighter jets to Ukraine – top Russian diplomat reacts promptly and directly to the plans.
New York – Another red line from the Kremlin? Russia ‘s deputy ambassador to the UN, Dmitry Polyansky, sees NATO “directly involved” in the Ukraine war as soon as even one of its members supplies Kiev with fighter jets. Poljanski said so in a YouTube interview published on Thursday (March 9).
“There are many indications that the West is not willing to accept reality, but rather wants to escalate the situation,” Polyansky said in the interview, according to the Russian state news agency TASS . “First there was the decision to supply main battle tanks, which of course will not change military activity in Ukraine ,” Polyansky was convinced. Fighter jet deliveries would “imply direct NATO involvement”. He justified this assessment with the required maintenance and the required runways for these fighter jets, “of which there are not that many in Ukraine”.
“Imagine these fighter jets take off from Poland, then move through Ukrainian airspace and return to Poland for maintenance. Is Poland involved in this case? I would say yes.”
Poland and Slovakia want to deliver fighter jets to Kiev in the Ukraine war
Also on Thursday, Slovakia announced that it would deliver Soviet MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine together with Poland. “I think it’s time for a decision. People in Ukraine are dying. We can actually help them. Therefore, there is no longer any room for politicizing. This is inhumane and irresponsible,” warned Slovakian Defense Minister Jaroslav Nad.
According to the defense minister, Slovakia could hand over ten operational aircraft to Ukraine. Nad had previously indicated that he would expect compensation from Germany or another NATO country. Poland still has about 30 MiG-29 aircraft.
Latvia’s Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins recently spoke out in favor of deliveries of fighter jets to Ukraine. Both US President Joe Biden and Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD), on the other hand, have so far rejected delivery of fighter jets.