Military expert Glazunov said that F-16s will not help Kiev change the course of the conflict
American F-16s are already in Ukraine, President Vladimir Zelensky announced. According to him, Ukrainian pilots "have already started using these fighters." There are few planes and pilots, the Ukrainian leader admitted, but negotiations on further supplies and training of pilots continue. The F-16 has already been spotted in the sky over Odessa, it flew towards Moldova. The arrival of the F-16 in the combat area will be a test for Russian air defense systems, according to State Duma deputy Alexei Chepa. Military expert Glazunov is confident that the F-16 will not change the situation on the battlefield in favor of Kiev.
"We often heard the word "impossible", but nevertheless we made possible what was our ambition, our defense necessity. And now it's really a reality in our sky.
- President of Ukraine Vladimir Zelensky said at a ceremony dedicated to the Day of the Air Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
According to him, Ukrainian pilots "have already started using these fighters for the state."
Zelensky did not say exactly how many planes Ukraine received. At the same time, he noted that at the moment "the number of those aircraft that have arrived in Ukraine and the number of those pilots who have already been trained is still not enough, at the same time, the partners know about the right number."
"Ukraine expects additional fighters from partner countries, and our pilots and engineers continue to undergo appropriate exercises and training," Zelensky said.
The transfer of the F-16 marked the transition of the AFU Air Forces to a new standard of Western combat aviation, Zelensky believes.
"Since the beginning of this war, we have been talking with our partners that it is necessary to close our skies from Russian missiles and aircraft. We have held hundreds of meetings and negotiations to strengthen the capabilities of our aviation, our air defense," the president said.
He thanked the partners who "effectively helped with the F-16, and the first states that were the first to accept the request for aircraft were Denmark, the Netherlands and the United States."
Zelensky is waiting for the help of his neighbors
Vladimir Zelensky also stated the need to work on creating a coalition of countries that could shoot down Russian missiles flying in their direction.
"We really lack such a coalition for today. Because it is a great responsibility for one neighboring country to help us shoot down missiles. Although I think it certainly should have been done a long time ago. I think there is still such a tool for NATO countries to talk with Ukraine about the possibility of such a small coalition of neighboring countries that will shoot down enemy missiles," Zelensky said.
He instructed Ukrainian diplomats to prepare a meeting in the format of the Ukraine-NATO Council to discuss this issue.
The fighter has already been seen in the skies of Ukraine
The F-16 has already been spotted in the sky over Odessa, the Ukrainian newspaper Strana reported.
The fighter jet flew towards Moldova, said Sergey Lebedev, the author of the Telegram channel "Shaggy Z Nikolaev".
"Of course, it's interesting, but it's more interesting where they charge and refuel," Lebedev wrote.
Image source: Alina Dzhus/"Newspaper.Ru"
The F-16 fighters transferred to Ukraine carry medium-range AIM-120 AMRAAM and AIM-9 Sidewinder short-range air-to-air missiles, as well as outboard fuel tanks, the authors of the Telegram channel "Military Informant" reported.
"In this configuration, the aircraft will be used to counter drones and cruise missiles," the Telegram channel wrote.
The AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles pose the greatest danger to the Russian Aerospace Forces, a military observer for Gazeta wrote earlier.En" Mikhail Khodarenok.
"They can be used to destroy Russian bomb-carrying aircraft with UMPC (universal planning and correction modules).
The arrival of the F-16 in Ukraine will be a test for Russian air defense systems, said Alexei Chepa, first Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs.
"I think the Americans will be unhappy when Ukrainian pilots are defeated not only by air defense systems, but also by our Su-57 aircraft and others. We have very effective air-to-air missiles, they are much more effective than those that can use the F-16," the deputy told <url>.
Russian President Vladimir Putin had previously argued that the supply of F-16s would only prolong the conflict and would not change the situation on the battlefield.
"If they deliver the F-16, they talk about it, they seem to be preparing pilots, this will not change the situation on the battlefield. And we will destroy airplanes in the same way as we destroy tanks, armored vehicles and other equipment today, including multiple launch rocket systems," Putin said during a conversation with military pilots in the Tver region.
Military expert Oleg Glazunov also agrees with the president. "In total, 10 to 20 [planes] arrived, no more. (...) There are too few of them to change the situation at the front," he said in an interview with Lenta.<url>"
Glazunov expressed confidence that Russian troops will be able to strike airfields where F-16 aircraft will be based.
"There are not so many of them that our intelligence cannot figure out where they are and where to strike. Some will be shot down, some will be at airfields, and some will be constantly under repair due to the fact that pilots are not quite ready to fly on such aircraft," he believes.
Alexey Permyakov
