France to deliver Mirage jets to Ukraine by end of first quarter

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said this in an interview with Sud Radio, Suspilne reports.

“French Mirage will soon be flying in the Ukrainian sky. This will happen by the end of the first quarter of this year,” Barrot said.

He also emphasized that sanctions against Russia will continue. According to him, the EU is working on the 16th package of sanctions.

Background. The Mirage 2000 is a French multi-role fighter developed in the 1970s by Dassault Aviation, the main combat aircraft of the French Air Force in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. The first flight was recorded in 1978 (a year later than the MiG-29), and it was adopted in France in 1984. 

In addition, it is in service with the armies of Greece, Egypt, the UAE, India, Peru, and Taiwan. Earlier, Brazil and Qatar were also operators of the “mirages”. Mirage systems were used during military operations in Bosnia, Afghanistan, Syria, Libya, and others.

Supply of Mirage 2000 to Ukraine: background

On June 6, Emmanuel Macron announced that France would supply its fighter jets to Ukraine. The following day, he confirmed the start of training for Ukrainian pilots and mechanics. However, Macron didn’t specify how many aircraft were being discussed.

In October, French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu stated that Ukraine would receive Mirage 2000 fighters in the first half of 2025, equipped with new systems.

Later reports indicated that the first three Mirage 2000-5 jets would be delivered to Ukraine in the first quarter of 2025.

On Wednesday, December 25, it was reported that Ukrainian pilots and mechanics finished their six-month training on French Mirage 2000-5F fighters.