Ukrainian MiG-29 Fulcrum evacuated from Crimea, back to operational status

Ukrainian Air Force combat planes stored in the peninsula were redeployed to airbases in mainland Ukraine when Crimea was invaded. Including a MiG-29 that is now back to flight status.

When Russian forces invaded Crimea Ukrainian Air Force aircraft deployed near Sevastopol were dismantled, loaded on trucks and relocated to the mainland Ukraine.

But 7 healthy MiG-29, MiG-29UB two seater Fulcrums and 3 L-39 stored there remained on the Crimean repair plant.

Mothballed Fulcrums were quickly reassembled and put back to flight status to join the other Ukrainian air force MiG-29s, Su-27s, Su-25s, Mil Mi-24s and some Soviet-era UAVs fighting pro-Russia separatists in eastern Ukrainian (where Malaysia Airlines MH17 was shot down last month).

The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense has released an image of the first Mig-29 Fulcrum that was re-assembled and brought back to operational status.

Image credit: Ukraine MoD

About David Cenciotti

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David Cenciotti is a journalist based in Rome, Italy. He is the Founder and Editor of “The Aviationist”, one of the world’s most famous and read military aviation blogs. Since 1996, he has written for major worldwide magazines, including Air Forces Monthly, Combat Aircraft, and many others, covering aviation, defense, war, industry, intelligence, crime and cyberwar. He has reported from the U.S., Europe, Australia and Syria, and flown several combat planes with different air forces. He is a former 2nd Lt. of the Italian Air Force, a private pilot and a graduate in Computer Engineering. He has written five books and contributed to many more ones.