The United States has acquired 81 Soviet-era fighter jets from Kazakhstan, the Kyiv Post reported.
Kazakhstan, which is modernizing its air fleet, auctioned off 117 Soviet-era fighter jets and bombers, including MiG-31 interceptors, MiG-27 fighter-bombers, MiG-29 fighters and Su-bombers. 24 from the 1970s and 1980s.
The declared value of the sale is one billion tenge, or $1.5 million, the Post said.
The reason for the U.S. purchase was not revealed, the Post said, fueling speculation about potential use in Ukraine, where similar planes are in service.
Given Ukraine’s continued reliance on Soviet-era weapons, the plane could either serve as a source of spare parts or be strategically deployed as a decoy at airfields, the Post said.
The Mikoyan MiG-31 was a supersonic interceptor designed to defend Soviet airspace, according to Airforce Technology. It played a crucial role during the Cold War.
Derived from the MiG-23, the MiG-27 was a ground attack aircraft and participated in conflicts such as the Soviet-Afghan War.
The agile MiG-29 excelled in air-to-air combat. It was widely exported and remains in service with some air forces.
MiG-31 Russian Ministry of Defense
Despite its age, the Su-24 – an all-weather tactical bomber – remains in service with several air forces, including the Russian Aerospace Forces and the Ukrainian Air Force.
Kazakhstan, formerly part of the Soviet Union, maintains close ties with Russia and has always been one of its strongest allies. But relations between the two countries have changed since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with Kazakhstan aligning itself more with the West, sparking fury from some in Russia.
But the Central Asian country’s efforts to improve its military capabilities coincide with its growing engagement with Western countries, signaling an abandonment of historic ties with Moscow, according to the Kyiv Post analysis.
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s visit to Germany in 2023 highlighted Kazakhstan’s commitment to international sanctions against Russia.
Kazakhstan and Western countries are showing increasing cooperation, with recent diplomatic engagements including a visit by British Foreign Secretary David Cameron to the capital Astana.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken meets with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev at the Ak Orda Presidential Palace in Astana, Kazakhstan, February 28, 2023. Olivier Douliery/Pool Photo via AP
Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited the Central Asian country in March 2023, where he said the United States “strongly supports Kazakhstan’s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity,” according to the AFP news agency.
Some Russian propagandists have suggested that Russia should turn to Kazakhstan after its invasion of Ukraine.
A prominent Russian television commentator, Vladimir Soloviev, said his country “needs to pay attention to the fact that the next problem will be Kazakhstan, because the same Nazi processes can start there as in Ukraine.”
Agreements on trade, education, environment and mineral supply reflect deepening ties between Kazakhstan and Western countries as they face geopolitical challenges posed by neighboring countries like Russia, China, Afghanistan and Iran.
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