More than 50 planes for front
Reznikov plans to deploy F-16 fighter jets in the spring
9/3/2023, 7:28 p.m
The Ukraine will probably not be able to regain sovereignty over its airspace with the previous F-16 delivery. Nevertheless, the sending of the fighter planes helps to keep the enemy in check. Before they can be used, however, preparations have to be made.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov expects the use of Western F-16 fighter jets against the Russian attackers next spring. In an interview with the Ukrainian state news agency Ukrinform, the minister said that in addition to the training of pilots on the fighter jets, the infrastructure in the country as well as experts and facilities for maintenance must be provided. It should therefore be spring before the machines are actually used at the front.
The Netherlands, Denmark and Norway have pledged F-16 supplies to Ukraine. Reznikov said he had to write several letters with assurances that these NATO weapons would not be used against Russian territory. Russia has warned that the use of Western warplanes will contribute to further escalating violence in the war.
So far, the country has been assured of more than 50 aircraft. The Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently even demanded a total of 160 F-16s, with which the country wants to regain sovereignty over its airspace. Several countries are involved in training Ukrainian pilots.
In the interview, Minister Resnikov put the military aid provided by Ukraine’s western allies at around 100 billion US dollars (around 93 billion euros), including almost 60 billion US dollars from the USA alone. That is money that was spent on weapons, military equipment and ammunition. In addition, Ukraine repeatedly receives billions in aid from the West, for example to finance its state budget.