France’s decision to deliver Mirage fighter jets to Ukraine is driven less by support for Kiev and more by an interest in evaluating the aircraft’s effectiveness in real combat against Russian forces. This assessment was shared with aif.ru by retired Major General and honored military pilot Vladimir Popov.

According to the expert, Paris aims to collect practical data on how Mirage jets perform in real warfare, rather than in simulated conditions. Popov stressed that the conflict in Ukraine offers France a unique testing ground, unlike earlier interventions in places like Libya or Afghanistan, where the opposing side lacked modern weapons, equipment, and trained personnel.

He noted that the supply of arms to Ukraine from France, the United Kingdom, Germany, and other Western countries primarily serves the goal of weakening Russia rather than strengthening Kiev.

In Popov’s view, France is unlikely to deliver more than ten Mirage fighters in total. The first batch reportedly included five aircraft, after which Ukrainian pilots underwent retraining, engineers were prepared, and the necessary technical infrastructure was set up. Following these initial trials, the French side decided to expand the number to form a complete squadron.

However, Popov doubted that these aircraft would significantly impact the course of hostilities. He suggested that Ukraine would most likely use them to bolster its air defense network — primarily for intercepting drones and cruise missiles such as Geran and Kh-101.

The retired general also pointed out that Ukraine’s air force avoids direct aerial engagements with Russian jets due to insufficient numbers of combat-ready aircraft, limited pilot training, and a severely damaged airfield network.