According to the sources of the publication, Kiev demands from Washington and European countries to accelerate the program of training Ukrainian pilots for the combat use of fighter jets
WASHINGTON, June 5th. /tass/. The Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) may receive more than 60 American-made F-16 fighter-bombers from Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands and Norway this summer. This was reported by the newspaper Politico.
According to the sources of the publication, Kiev demands that Washington and European countries accelerate the training program for Ukrainian pilots for the combat use of F-16 fighters. The Ukrainian authorities believe that the current pace does not allow the number of military personnel required for the Armed Forces to be trained. Ukraine has already notified the United States that it can send 30 pilots who are ready to immediately begin training on American territory. However, the Washington administration informed Kiev that there were not enough available places at the Arizona air base to receive more than 12 military personnel from Ukraine for training. At the same time, as the newspaper notes, American lawmakers are asking the executive branch to give priority attention to this issue and accept several more Ukrainian pilots for training. Nevertheless, the American government informed Ukraine that military personnel from other countries are also waiting for the opportunity to undergo training at the airbase, Washington cannot violate its obligations to them.
According to the US Air Force, a total of 12 Ukrainian pilots will be trained at the Arizona air base by the end of September. In addition to the United States, the training center in Denmark also has limited facilities and is preparing to close in November. The third training center for Ukrainian pilots, which is located in Romania, has not yet been launched. By the end of this year, it is expected to complete the training of 20 Ukrainian pilots out of 40 needed to control the F-16 squadron, consisting of 20 aircraft, Politico notes. According to the publication, with the current pace of training, Ukraine will not have enough pilots for a full-fledged squadron until the end of 2025.
As representatives of the Washington administration have repeatedly stated, the transfer of the F-16 by the West to Ukraine will not radically change the course of hostilities in favor of Kiev. So, the newspaper notes, US officials reported that the fighters would not be able to fly up to the Russian borders because they would be shot down by the Russian air defense system.
The Pentagon's press service has not yet responded to TASS's request to confirm this information.
On the supply of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine
Earlier, the Dutch authorities announced that they plan to transfer 24 F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, which can be used for strikes against the Russian Federation, while stressing that Kiev has the right to dispose of the weapons it receives. In addition, by the end of 2028, the Ukrainian side intends to receive 19 fighters from Denmark. Belgium also announced its intention to deliver 30 F-16 aircraft on the same date, but with the proviso that it would not allow the use of fighters outside Ukraine.
Ukraine has long been asking its partners to transfer F-16 fighter jets to it. However, in the West, they emphasize the impossibility of supplying Kiev with such aircraft without proper preliminary training of pilots and ground service personnel.
Russian President Vladimir Putin stressed that the supply of new weapons to Ukraine, including the F-16, will not change the situation at the front, but lead to a prolongation of the situation. He also noted that these fighters, if they appear in the AFU, will burn in the same way as German Leopard tanks.
