Russia Leaves Over 200 MiG-29 Aircraft Series Abandoned
Currently, Russia possesses over 260 aircraft from the MiG-29 series, yet it’s reported that only about 70 of them are actively operational across four aviation regiments.
This situation can be attributed to the Russian Aerospace Forces’ preference for modern fighters like the highly capable and relatively inexpensive Su-27 or Su-30, which are extensively operated due to the vast responsibility zones of each military unit. The mass abandonment of outdated MiG-29s stems from their lack of necessity in the face of these newer, more efficient options.
Furthermore, it’s been revealed that Russia has approximately 200 aircraft listed in its military inventory that are hardly ever utilized. Many aircraft were left neglected in fighter assembly factories that closed down after the collapse of the Soviet Union due to financial difficulties. In January 2021, Russian bloggers made headlines by uncovering numerous abandoned aircraft and parts in a fighter factory near Moscow, raising concerns.
Although the MiG-29s that North Korea could potentially acquire are not high-performance, a significant influx could pose a considerable threat to the South Korean military if substantial damage is caused to Korean airpower. From Russia’s perspective, supplying North Korea with a significant stock of MiG-29 fighters or parts in exchange for massive artillery and ammunition shipments could be a no-brainer solution to offload surplus inventory.
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