The Ukrainian Air Force expects its allies to begin deliveries of F-16 fighter jets this month. After postponing it several times
Ukrainian Air Force spokesman Ilya Yevlash said that the delivery of F-16 fighter jets may take place after Easter celebrations. For the Orthodox Christian Church this year falls on May 5th.
However, Yevlaş acknowledged that the timeframe for NATO F-16 deliveries had changed several times. This is beyond Ukraine's control and Ukrainian pilots are currently undergoing training to use fighter aircraft in the United States and Denmark.
The Ukrainian Air Force's announcement is somewhat consistent with an interview by Dutch Defense Minister Kajsa Ollongren, who stated that F-16s from her country and Denmark would arrive in Ukraine in the coming weeks.
But the opinion of Western officials and military experts is that handing over the F-16 fleet to the Ukrainian army will not change the course of the war. Or give Ukraine a greater advantage immediately.
Training pilots and support staff takes time. Russia also has surface-to-air missile systems, and the F-16s are not designed to take off and land on runways in damaged combat zones.
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