Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Alexander Syrsky noted that the American F-16 fighters, which Ukraine will soon receive, will help the armed forces forces in battles with the Russian army.
This information was reported by The Guardian, reports URA-Inform.
However, they have certain restrictions on the line of combat. As the publication notes, against the backdrop of skepticism about Ukraine's prospects for achieving complete victory, Syrsky noted various positive events.
The F-16 will strengthen Ukraine's air defense. They will allow Kyiv to work more effectively against Russian cruise missiles and accurately hit ground targets.
«However, there are limits to what the F-16 can achieve. They must remain 40 kilometers or more of the front line because of the risk that Moscow will shoot them down,” added Alexander Syrsky.
As is known, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said at the NATO summit in Washington in July that Lockheed Martin F-16s would fly in Ukrainian skies this summer. This is the culmination of a long process that includes training in the US and several locations across Europe, as well as ongoing and future deliveries of aircraft from Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands and Norway.
Recall that last week, Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans said that F-16 fighters from the Netherlands would arrive in Ukraine in the near future. At the first stage, Ukraine will use them in air defense. This will be a priority.
In turn, General James Hecker, commander of US Air Forces in Europe, said that the arrival of F-16 fighters in Ukraine will be the first stage of a longer process of transition of the country's armed forces to Western tactics and equipment. And at first this will not be a panacea.
Recall that earlier it was reported that a scandal was brewing in Slovakia due to the transfer of old aircraft to Ukraine and the purchase of F-16s.