The MiG-21 was perhaps the hallmark of Soviet aviation during the Cold War. So it could not be made available to the air forces of the Balkan satellite states and Yugoslavia with which the Soviets were seeking a rapprochement. Of the communist Balkan states, only Albania did not acquire MiG-21s through the normal route. Instead it acquired 12 Chinese Chengdu J-7A copies, which until the early 1980s were either lost in accidents or grounded for technical reasons.
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia acquired its first MiG-21s in 1962 from the Soviet Union. By 1980 the Yugoslav Air Force had procured 261 fighters of the type in 10 versions (41 MiG-21f-13, 36 MiG-21PfM, 25 MiG-21M, 6 MiG-21MF, 46 MiG-21bis, 45 MiG-21bisK, 12 MiG -21R, 18 MiG-21U, 25 MiG-21UM and 7 MiG-21US). When the wars that led to the breakup of Yugoslavia began the MiG-21s were used in strike missions. Initially Slovenes and Croats had no air force. Nevertheless, at least seven Yugoslav MiG-21s were lost in the operations to anti-aircraft fire. A MiG-21 shot down a helicopter.
Croatia acquired three MiG-21s in 1992 through defector Croatian pilots of the Yugoslav Air Force. Of these two were lost in business. In 1993 Croatia acquired 40 aircraft of the type, 20 capable of flight and 20 for cannibalism. Croatian MiG-21s saw extensive action mainly in a support role for ground forces.
Yugoslav Soko L-22 Orao was engaged only once, to no avail. Yugoslav MiG-21s joined the Serbian air force and formed its backbone. In 1999 three were destroyed on the ground by NATO bombing.
Romania
The Romanian Air Force received its first MiG-21s in 1962. They were 12 MiG-21F-13s. In 1963 he received as many aircraft of the same version. Ultimately delivered 38 MiG-21RFM (PF) in 1965, 7 MiG-21U-400/600, 56 MiG-21RFMM (PFM), 12 MiG-21R, 68 MiG-21M and 11 MiG-21US in 1969-70, 74 MiG -21MF/MF-75 in 1972–1975, and 27 MiG-21UM and some more until 1990. A total of 322 aircraft were delivered.
In 1993 when Russia stopped supplying the Romanians with spare parts for the MiG-23 and MiG-29, the question of modernizing the MiG-21 with modern electronics was raised. A total of 111 MiG-21s were modernized. Of the modernized ones, some are still in use with the Romanian Air Force. Soon, however, their withdrawal and replacement by western fighters is foreseen. However, the remaining MiG-21s had extremely low availability and a high accident rate.
Bulgaria
The Bulgarian air force received a total of 224 MiG-21s with deliveries starting in September 1963 of various versions – fighter, reconnaissance, trainer. Between 1983-90 the Bulgarian air force received 72 MiG-21bis. In 1982 three MiG-21UM trainers were sold to Cambodia while in 1994 10 MiG-21UMs were sold to India. In total between 1963-2000 38 aircraft were lost in accidents/accidents. The last flight of the Bulgarian MiG-21 took place on December 18, 2015.