The four MiG-29 fighters that Belarus formally handed over to Serbia earlier this year will be delivered following maintenance work early in 2021, the Minsk-based news agency BelTA reported on Thursday.

„Belarus will hand over upgraded MiG-29 aircraft to Serbia in early 2021,“ the government-owned news agency said quoting the Chairman of the State Military-Industrial Committee Roman Golovchenko.  

Golovchenko said the aircraft are undergoing maintenance in line with the specified schedule. “Three are being repaired while another one is being inspected for defects,“ he said and added that Serbia is paying for the repairs and upgrades as requested by its military.  

BelTA reported earlier that the Belarus military handed the four MiG-29s to the Serbian armed forces at a February 25 ceremony at the city of Baranavichy in the Brest Oblast in southwestern Belarus.

Serbia had also received six MiG-29s from Russia and is planning to upgrade those aircraft as well at its own expense.