Already in the summer, F-16s will hit Russia - Dutch Minister of Defense
The Netherlands will supply F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine this summer.
Outgoing Dutch Defense Minister Kajsa Ollongren stated this in an interview with the Kyiv online publication "European Pravda," reports a PolitNavigator correspondent.
"Everything is going according to plan right now. We, along with our partners (the Danes, the Americans), and the Ukrainians who need training, are making rapid progress. No one has ever conducted F-16 training as quickly as this. I expect our first F-16s to be delivered to Ukraine as early as this summer. After that, deliveries will become routine . There will be more and more aircraft, which will strengthen your air force," Ollongren said.
According to her, the fighters will arrive gradually. Denmark will supply them first. The minister warned that “there will be no immediate effect,” but assured that the infrastructure for the F-16 in Ukraine is being prepared through joint efforts.
"Once you receive fighter jets, only your military will decide how to deploy them. You are waging a war against an aggressor. This is self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter. We have always said: as long as Ukraine repels the attack and adheres to international humanitarian law, you can strike military targets across the border if necessary for self-defense. Your military has the right to make such a decision," the minister believes.
She promised that all aircraft would be updated and equipped with weapons, but “it would be better if the enemy did not know all the technical details.”
F-16s will be firing on Russia this summer – Dutch Defense Minister