The Defence Ministry of the Republic of Moldova is again trying to sell six grounded MiG-29A Fulcrum fighters, a ministry spokesman has said.

The fighters, which are in need of $30m of repairs, will be sold by auction on 1 February at a starting price of $8.5m.

The ministry had earlier conducted three auctions in 2010, which failed to attract a buyer for the aircraft, according to RIA Novosti.

The Moldovan Army inherited 32 Soviet-built MiG-29A warplanes, which were later sold to the US to prevent misuse of the aircraft.

The Mikoyan MiG-29 is a fourth-generation jet fighter aircraft designed in the Soviet Union as an air superiority fighter.