The US should put up a billion dollars for the program to get it started. Land the jets in NATO territory.
Let's put troop loyalty to the test and see if we can't drain some of their best hardware.
We're not allowed to attack Russia directly so let's plunder them. Our leaders are not being nearly creative enough in this situation.
Skeptical that would be effective for two reasons:
1. Pilots that have family back home probably won't be eager to take the offer
2. Russia has shown no qualms about targeted assassinations in foreign lands.
> 1. Pilots that have family back home probably won't be eager to take the offer
Russia has not been known to do North-Korea-style family executions (so far)
> 2. Russia has shown no qualms about targeted assassinations in foreign lands.
Russia might be too weak after all this is over to still have these capabilities.
Time will tell!
The deal fell apart, however.
https://newlinesmag.com/reportage/is-poland-sending-fighter-...
If a Polish pilot flies it to Ukraine, Russia will consider that an act of war, and possibly start bombarding Poland. If Ukrainian pilot comes to Poland and takes off from a Polish airport then again: that is an act of war.
The only possibility to deliver them without joining the war against Russia seems to be to disassemble those MIGs and send them by train/truck.
Just have to tow them with horses and tractors. ;)
https://news.yahoo.com/no-eu-countries-aren-t-233404478.html
Also, that one jet that flew from Romania was flying BACK, because it already belonged to Ukraine, just had an emergency landing in Romania for some unknown reason: https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/44514/su-27-returning-...
EDIT: the fact that the jet was Ukrainian gives Romania plausible deniability - they can always say that the pilot wanted to fight, and took the jet against their will :)