A MiG-29 fighter jet bearing camouflage and repainted markings characteristic of Azerbaijan’s air force was spotted in Ukrainian skies. The sighting suggests Ukraine’s Air Force may have received reinforcements in the form of aircraft that previously belonged to Baku.
According to Defense Express, three Azerbaijani MiG-29s were at the Lviv Aircraft Repair Plant undergoing maintenance before Russia’s full-scale invasion. After February 24, 2022, the facility became a target of Russian strikes, and some of the jets may have been destroyed. However, experts say at least one aircraft might have been preserved or removed in advance.
The jet’s appearance over Ukraine now points to two possibilities: Azerbaijan quietly transferred the aircraft to Kyiv, or it granted permission for their use. The move could be tied to worsening relations between Baku and Moscow following a downed passenger plane and Russian strikes on Azerbaijani-owned business assets in Ukraine.
Analysts note that between 2006 and 2009, Azerbaijan purchased 15 MiG-29s from Ukraine. If the assumptions are confirmed, Ukraine’s military may have received up to three combat-ready fighters. That may not change the balance of power outright, but even limited reinforcement matters amid Russia’s continued attacks.
Another signal came on August 10, when Caliber.Az reported that Azerbaijan was considering lifting its embargo on arms supplies to Ukraine if the Kremlin keeps undermining Baku’s interests. The report followed Russian loitering-munition strikes on a SOCAR oil depot in Odesa region.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later held a phone call with Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev. The two discussed cooperation and security, further fueling suspicions that military support for Kyiv could expand.
Taken together, the developments suggest Azerbaijan may be edging away from cautious neutrality and moving toward deeper cooperation with Ukraine as ties with the Kremlin deteriorate.
