Poland to give MiG-29 jets to US for expected donation to Ukraine

Poland is thought to have 28 of the Soviet-era warplanes, and has been in negotiation with the Biden administration on a three-way deal to supply Ukraine with air power, on condition that the MiGs would be replaced by newer US jets.

The deal has the effect of sharing the risk of Russian retaliation with the US, which will decide how and when to hand them to the Ukrainian air force.

Poland announced the deal as US officials said the war in Ukraine had reached a pivotal moment, with Russia sustaining severe losses but with Putin determined to press on.

US intelligence agencies told Congress on Tuesday that they tentatively estimated that 2,000-4,000 Russian soldiers had been killed so far, but that Putin would persevere in the face of fierce Ukrainian resistance.

Carpenter said that US and allied weapons supplies were still getting through to the Ukrainian army.

The Ukrainian government of Volodymyr Zelenskiy has placed great importance on the delivery of fighter jets, but US officials and military experts have expressed scepticism over how decisive MiG-29s can be, particularly as Russian forces have substantial anti-aircraft missile systems.

A senior US defence official said that Russian armed forces were stepping up their pressure on Kyiv, with intensified bombing to disrupt life in the capital and possibly lay the groundwork for a full-scale assault.

The US official also said the Pentagon believes Russia has prepared up to 11 tank landing ships in the Black Sea for future amphibious assaults on the Ukrainian coast.