Ukraine dismantling MiG-29 jets to be used as spare parts

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: The Economist
23 Apr 2023 21:35

The Economist reports that the Ukrainian army is utilizing a large portion of Polish and Slovakian MiG-29 jets, which are unfit to fly, as spare parts.

A Polish Air-Force MiG-29 sends out flares in a performance at the Radom Air Show, 24 August 2013 (Reuters)

Ukraine will be utilizing a large portion of its MiG-29 fighter jets for spare parts after the jets were deemed to be in a none flyable state, The Economist reports.

The planes donated by Poland and Slovakia to Kiev were followed by another 8 jets of the same type in recent weeks.

Zelensky's government has also asked for more fighter jets to be sent to Ukraine, a request that the EU and the US have not yet answered.

Ukrainian Air Force Command spokesman Yuriy Ignat demanded F-16 jets be delivered o the country as the supply of other Western aircraft would not meet time limits.

The recent Pentagon leaks show that the Ukrainian army is facing massive shortages, especially in munition supplies.

Artillery ammunition is being used up by the nation's units at a breakneck rate, estimated at 7,700 shells every day, or about one shell every six seconds. This means that Kiev is outpacing Western production capacities and has forced Kiev to ration artillery usage on the battlefield.

Moreover, the most distressful of shortages to the Ukrainian army is that of anti-air defense ammunition, particularly of Soviet-era S-300 and Buk systems which make up around 89% of Ukrainian air defenses against Russian targets.

On Saturday, Andrij Melnyk, Ukrainian deputy foreign minister, called on allies to increase the influx of weapons: saying that Kiev requires a tenfold increase in weapons supply and emphasizing that "red lines" should no longer hinder Western countries from supplying Ukraine with sophisticated weapons. He also urged Kiev's allies to dedicate 1% of their GDP to weapons supplies to Ukraine.

Western countries have aided Zelensky's government with their best military technologies to ensure his survival after the Russian Special Operation commenced in February 2022. They continue to supply the country with air defense misle, multiple launch rocket systems, depleted uranium ammunition, and state-of-the-art armored vehicles. This has only prolonged the crisis in Ukraine as the Western powers push for confrontation and refuse to engage in peace talks with Russia.