Ukraine will not be able to use US-made F-16 fighter jets during the coming fall or winter, Yury Ihnat, a spokesman for the Ukrainian Air Force, told local television late on Wednesday.
“It is already clear that we will not be able to defend Ukraine with F-16 fighters during the coming autumn and winter,” Ihnat said in a joint broadcast of several Ukrainian channels.
He added, “We had high hopes for this plane, that it would become part of our air defense system, and that it would protect us from the terrorism of Russian missiles and drones.”
Ukraine has repeatedly asked its Western allies to provide it with F-16 fighter jets, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that “would be an indication that the Russian invasion will end in defeat”.
In May, US President Joe Biden approved training programs for Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fighters, but no date has been announced for the supply of the aircraft yet.
The West says it wants to help Ukraine defeat Russia, but has repeatedly stressed its unwillingness to ignite a direct military confrontation between the US-led NATO and Moscow.
And Ukraine announced, on July 11, the formation of an “alliance” that includes 11 countries to train its pilots on the “F-16” fighters, which Kiev is demanding to receive to support its counterattack.
“An alliance to train the Ukrainian Air Force on F-16 fighters has been formed,” Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov wrote on Twitter, adding: “Today 11 partner countries and Ukraine signed a memorandum.”
This coalition includes Britain, Canada and European countries, according to the agency “Agence France Presse”.
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2023-08-16 23:05:57
