They are supposed to turn the tide for the Ukrainian army: the western F-16 fighter jets. Denmark, the Netherlands and Norway said they WILL supply the planes.
Now the Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Resnikov (57) is revealing WHEN he expects the jets to be used for the first time by the Ukrainian Air Force.
Resnikov explained to the “RONZHEIMER” podcast: “I would say that could be in the spring of next year, because we have started training courses for our pilots, engineers and technicians.” The infrastructure for the jets in Ukraine must be prepared . “It should take at least six months, maybe a little longer,” says Resnikov.
That means: next spring, Ukraine’s fighter jets will be available for their defensive combat.
The Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Resnikov (left) and BILD Vice Paul Ronzheimer
Defense Minister Resnikov expects a lot from their deployment: The jets should become a “serious game changer” in the fight against Russian troops.
Because: So far, Russia has air sovereignty. That should change with the delivery of the F-16, according to Resnikov: “We have to end Russia’s dominance in the sky, off the battlefield. F-16 jets have become part of anti-aircraft defenses. We can strengthen our capacities in the sky to protect the airspace, i.e. our cities. That would be a big breakthrough for us. Very large.”
For months, Ukraine has been trying to get the F-16 jets passed on to its western allies. According to Ukrainian data, Denmark and the Netherlands alone are supplying 61 aircraft. Previously, the manufacturer country USA gave the green light.