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Ukraine does not expect to procure the F-16s this year

2023-08-17 11:54:37, Kosova & Bota CNA

Ukraine does not expect to procure the F-16s this year

Ukraine has given up hope of receiving US F-16 fighter jets this year, although it has continued to press Western allies to send the advanced weapons to defend against a Russian invasion.

"It is clear that we will not be able to defend Ukraine this fall and winter with F-16 planes," Ukrainian Air Force spokesman Yuri Ihnat told Ukrainian television.

"We hoped very much that these planes will become part of our air defense against missiles and territory with drones from Russia," he said.

However, he was quoted as saying that the good thing about this whole situation is that Ukrainian pilots and technicians will be able to start training to use these planes "in the near future".

NATO members the Netherlands and Denmark are leading the 11-nation coalition to train Ukrainian pilots on how to use the West's warplanes.

Discussions about the training began in May at a summit in Japan - but the training does not mean the planes will be sent to Ukraine.

Ukrainian troops are currently engaged in a counteroffensive to regain control of the territory occupied by Russia.

Some have assessed that the counter-offensive is developing at a rather slow pace.

Russia continues to control more than 100,000 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory, including the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea, annexed in 2014.

Russian President Vladimir Putin calls the war a "special military operation" to demilitarize Ukraine.

The West has responded to Russia, hitting the economy of this country with harsh sanctions.

As a result of the war, thousands of people have died and millions more have been displaced from their homes./ REL





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