Russian bloggers claim that the full Squadron F-16 is already in Ukraine: what is known
Allegedly in Ukraine is already up to 12 combat and 3 training planes, and by April 2024 will be transferred to another 15 aircraft. The fact that the Netherlands is prepared by the first 18 F-16 fighters for Ukraine became known on Friday, December 22, after a telephone conversation of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, who published a corresponding post on the social network X.
"Today" today He also told the President Zelensky about the decision of our government to prepare the first 18 fighters of the F-16 Ukraine. F-16 is one of the most important elements of agreements on Ukraine's military support, "Rutte wrote in the microbloggloe network. In addition to export permit, a number of other features, including staff and infrastructure requirements, should be taken into account before supply.
For his part, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky thanked Rutte for the "decision to start the preparation of the first 18 F-16 fighter jets for transfer to Ukraine. " He also mentioned "active support for opening Ukraine's accession to the EU. " According to Zelensky, the events on the forefront, the situation in the Black Sea and the urgent needs of the Armed Forces, in particular for artillery, UAV and air defense were discussed.
On December 19, a spokesman for the Air Force Yuri Ignat noted that Ukrainian F-16 pilots are flying with instructors, and expected that independent departures will soon begin. Pilots from Ukraine are trained in the US, Denmark, the United Kingdom and other countries. On the air of the telecast, the speaker also said that the fighter jets will need to be upgraded because the Armed Forces would oppose a "serious machine". "Russian aviation is about 1. 5 thousand combat aircraft.