MORE DELAYS + MORE UNCERTAINTIES: Ukraine’s Air Force says F-16 Fighter Jets will Not Be Ready to Use This Autumn or Winter
Ukraine has lobbied persistently to be provided with US-made F-16 fighter jets, but the warplanes will not be part of Ukraine’s defence against Russian forces during the coming “autumn and winter” months, a spokesperson for the air force said.
Ukraine says it has no hope of using F-16 fighter jets this year
Reuters
A F-16 fighter jet takes off during a media day of NATO's "Air Defender 23" military exercise at Spangdahlem U.S. Air Base near the German-Belgian border in Spangdahlem, Germany June 14, 2023. REUTERS/Jana Rodenbusch/File Photo Acquire Licensing Rights
KYIV, Aug 17 (Reuters) - Ukraine will not be able to operate U.S.-built F-16 fighter jets this coming autumn and winter, air force spokesperson Yuriy Ihnat told Ukrainian television late on Wednesday. "It's already obvious we won't be able to defend Ukraine with F-16 fighter jets during this autumn and winter," Ihnat told a joint telethon broadcast by Ukrainian channels.
Ukraine has repeatedly called its Western allies to supply the country with F-16s, which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said would be a signal that Russia's invasion would end in defeat.
U.S. President Joe Biden endorsed training programmes for Ukrainian pilots on F-16s in May but no timing for the supply of war planes has been given so far. "We had big hopes for this plane, that it will become part of air defence, able to protect us from Russia's missiles and drones terrorism,"Ihnat said.
The West says it wants to help Ukraine defeat Russia but has repeatedly insisted it does not want to trigger a direct confrontation between the U.S.-backed NATO military alliance and Moscow.
Reporting by Oleksandr Kozhukhar in Kyiv, writing by Maria Tsvetkova in New York, editing by Sandra Maler
Ukrainian air force spokesperson Yuriy Ihnat said late on Wednesday night that his country had “big hopes” for the deployment of F-16s as part of the country’s defences against invading Russian forces.
“It’s already obvious we won’t be able to defend Ukraine with F-16 fighter jets during this autumn and winter,”Ihnat told a joint telethon broadcast by Ukrainian channels.
“We had big hopes for this plane, that it will become part of air defence, able to protect us from Russia’s missiles and drones terrorism,”Ihnat said.
Western allies were initially reluctant to provide Kyiv with advanced warplanes, fearing the provision of new fighter jets might trigger a direct confrontation between the US-backed NATO military alliance and Moscow.
That sentiment changed when US President Joe Biden signalled at the Group of Seven summit in May in Japan that training programmes for Ukrainian pilots in the operation of F-16s could begin.
Last month, Ukraine’s Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov said F-16 training would begin in Romania this month. The minister also said he hoped the training would not last longer than six months and the warplane would be in action by then.
Despite the announced training of pilots, neither the US nor other allies of Kyiv have yet announced a timeframe for the supply of actual F-16 planes.
Separately on Wednesday night, Zelenskyy said Kyiv would “significantly” increase drone production, stressing the importance of unmanned aerial vehicles in defending his country against Russia’s invasion.
Recently back from visits to troops fighting on the front lines in the east of the country, Zelenskyy said troops “first ask about drones, electronic warfare, and military air defence”.
“Drones are the eyes and protection on the front line. Of different ranges, for different purposes. Drones are a guarantee that people will not have to pay with their lives when drones can be used,” he said.
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