Ukraine needs to upgrade all its Soviet aircraft to American F-16 fighters and create at least five air brigades from them for effective protection against the Russian aggressor.

The spokesman of the Air Force Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Yuriy Ignat, said this on the air of the telethon. 

Ignat noted that the Soviet aircraft currently in service with Ukraine are at the limit of their capabilities.

And now the country needs Western-made aircraft more than ever.  

"We want to replace the entire fleet of Soviet aircraft, which are already morally and physically obsolete, which are fighting today at the limit of their capabilities thanks to our pilots, people. But we need precisely Western-made aircraft. We are talking about the F-16 aircraft and other types of aircraft from the first days of the Russian invasion," Ignat said.

According to him, the military understands that Ukraine will not immediately receive the number of aircraft that would help to completely close the issue of state defense.

But, as Ignat suggested, the provision of F-16 aircraft to Ukraine may begin with several squadrons.

"No one will immediately give us five brigades, which would be enough in the future to protect the country. It is clear that we will start as with the IRIS-T and NASAMS systems, when one or two batteries are provided, and then it is built up. Yes , the provision of F-16 aircraft to Ukraine may begin with several squadrons, but on the condition that a final decision is made on this type of aircraft and on the provision of this type of fighter," he explained.

We will remind, the adviser to the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Mykhailo Podolyak, said that 

the F-16 issue is unblocked. 

Yuriy Ignat, the spokesman of the command of the Air Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, reported that 

Ukraine has started preparing airfield infrastructure for F-16 fighters. 

Politico writes that a contingent of military officials is pushing for the

Pentagon to approve sending F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine

to help the country defend itself against Russian missiles and drone attacks.

Meanwhile, Danilov was

intrigued by the video with F-16 fighters.

Read also:

  • World news

  • War in Ukraine

  • News of Ukraine: video