Which Countries Use Russian Fighter Jets?

After World War II, two nations became the largest producers of fighter jets: the United States and the Soviet Union. Both countries routinely export their fighters to allied nations around the world, so you can find aviators flying Russian fighters in Algeria and American-made jets operating in Denmark. The Russian Federation picked up the practice after the fall of the Soviet Union, and there are thousands of Russian fighters spread around the world flying for various militaries.

Russia has two primary producers of fighters: the Russian Aircraft Corporation, known commonly as "MiG" for Mikoyan, and the JSC Sukhoi Company. There are numerous countries that operate both Sukhoi and Mikoyan jets, while a handful only fly one or two models from either company. Russia has other aerospace companies, including Tupolev and Ilyushin, but they don't produce fighter jets. Because the Soviet Union sent its fighters to all corners of its subordinate nations, some still operate incredibly old models.

Modern fighters like the Sukhoi Su-35, which was first delivered in 2012, are being sold to other nations. The list of countries that operate Russian fighter jets is a long one, though it includes some unsurprising entries. These are Algeria, Angola, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Bulgaria, Burundi, China, Congo, Croatia, Cuba, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Georgia, Guinea, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Libya, Malaysia, Mali, Mozambique, Myanmar, Niger, North Korea, Peru, Poland, Serbia, Sudan, Syria, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Yemen, and Zimbabwe.

One of the last fighter jets produced by the Soviet Union before its fall was the Mikoyan MiG-31 "Foxhound," of which Russia still operates between 132 and 142. Other old models include the Sukhoi Su-27 and MiG-29, but even more ancient airframes continue to operate for other nations. According to World Air Forces 2025 (link downloads a PDF to your device), which tracks military aircraft around the world, a handful of countries still possess MiG-21 "Fishbeds," aircraft first introduced in 1955.

Angola has 23, Croatia has six, Cuba has 11, India operates 36, Libya maintains 21, Mali has nine, Mozambique has eight, North Korea has 26, Sudan keeps four, Syria has 50, and Yemen possesses 19. That's the oldest model MiG still in active service around the world, though it's joined by a variety of more recent, yet still comparatively ancient fighters. In terms of the oldest Sukhoi jet still flying, that's the Su-27, introduced in the mid-1980s. These are still operated by nations like Angola and Belarus, both of which have a single fighter.

China has an unspecified number of Su-27s, though 39 are known for use as trainers. Eritrea has two in its inventory, while Ethiopia possesses 22. Indonesia operates 15 combined Su-27s and Su-30s, while Kazakhstan flies 51. Ukraine has 29, though this number may have decreased due to the Russo-Ukrainian War. Uzbekistan has 25, and Vietnam possesses a combined total of 41 Su-27s and Su-30s. It also operates 32 Su-22s, which are variants of the swept-wing Su-17.

The Russian Federation's aircraft industry has produced many 4.5-generation and more advanced fighters since it took over after the fall of the Soviet Union. As of this writing, the Su-57 "Felon," Russia's most advanced jet, remains solely in Russia's hands, though there are rumors that Algeria has ordered 14 of them. Its other export fighters include the Su-30 "Flanker-C/G/H," Su-35 "Flanker-E," and the MiG-29 "Fulcrum."

Many nations around the world fly these aircraft, and orders continue to come in, keeping Russia's aerospace industry alive despite worldwide sanctions. That said, the industry has all but collapsed, so fewer fighters are making their way out of the country as Russia commits much of its military forces to the fight in Ukraine. Algeria has 52 Su-30s in operation with another 10 on order, so Russia still has some customers. Angola has 12 Su-30s as well, while Armenia and Belarus operate four.

China has an unspecified number in its inventory alongside some Su-33 "Flanker-Ds." India maintains the largest fleet of Su-30s with 265 in its active inventory. Malaysia has 17, and Myanmar possesses four. Nearly 40 of the aforementioned nations fly the MiG-29, as it's a popular aircraft and has been since its introduction. As for the Su-35, the only nation that has any on order is the Islamic Republic of Iran, which awaits 25. It appears these jets may have been diverted elsewhere, so as of this writing, it's unclear what the status of that order is.