Bulgarian Ministry of Defense Denies that Bulgaria will Donate its Fighter Jets to Ukraine
“In connection with inquiries regarding publications on the possible provision of Bulgarian jet fighters to the Ukrainian Air Force, we would like to inform you that such a topic has not been discussed in the Ministry of Defense.” This was answered by the MoD to questions from OFFNews about the information that three NATO countries are transferring 70 planes to Ukraine, which may be based in Poland. According to diplomatic sources, there has never been anything true in Bulgaria giving up its fighters.
PM: Reports of Bulgaria Giving Away its Fighter Jets to Ukraine are Absurd!
“Bulgaria is transferring 16 MiG-29 fighters and 14 Su-25 attack aircraft to Ukraine, Poland - 28 MiG-29 aircraft, Slovakia - 12 MiG-29s.” This was announced on March 1 on the Facebook account of the press service of the Navy of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The previous day, this information was disseminated by Ukrainian MPs and publications from the United States and Bulgaria, citing EU sources.
At a briefing on Monday, Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov stated emphatically that he did not intend to send planes to Ukraine. “No commitments have been made for Bulgarian fighters. We currently have few flying planes and cannot be delivered to another country. The other fake news I heard today is that we will be sending troops to Ukraine. There is absolutely nothing true in these two allegations”, said the prime minister.
On Sunday, following an extraordinary online meeting of European foreign ministers, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said Ukraine had requested and would receive from EU countries fighter jets that Ukrainian military pilots could use.
He did not give details of which countries he would rely on. Three NATO member states have similar machines - Poland, Slovakia and Bulgaria.
The cited figure for Bulgaria represents almost the entire number of MiG-29 fighters and Su-25 attack aircraft that Bulgaria has at its disposal. However, most of them are out of order.
Various publications from Poland and Slovakia claim that the two countries will not give their fighters to Ukraine either.
/OFFNews