F-16 fighter jets are to change the course of war, the Ukrainian air force spokesperson says. Ukrainian troops claim success southeast of Robotyne in Zaporizhzhia region. Zelenskyi comments on the offer to cede territory to Russia in exchange for NATO membership.
F-16 fighter jets to change the course of war, Ukrainian air force spokesperson says
A number of decisions to provide Ukraine with F-16 fighter jets marked the month of August. On August 9, U.S. President Joe Biden gave an approval allowing F-16 training for Ukraine to begin. Denmark and the Netherlands lead the training coalition.
On August 18, the White House confirmed that the U.S. would be prepared to approve third-party transfer of F-16 aircraft to Ukraine as soon as pilot training is completed. The Netherlands and Denmark confirmed they received approval from the U.S. to hand over F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine after some of its pilots are trained to fly them.
On August 20, the Netherlands announced it will donate up to 42 F-16s to Ukraine, and Denmark pledged to 19.
On his visit to Sweden this weekend, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi said Ukraine is discussing the possibility of obtaining Gripen fighter jets from Sweden. Ukrainian pilots have begun training on the planes.
F-16s and other Western fighter jets are to change the course of the war as air superiority is key to successful land operations, spokesperson for the Ukrainian Air Force Command Colonel Yuriy Ihnat said on television on August 21. “The decisions [to train Ukrainian pilots and send advanced fighter jets to Ukraine] were made. We are looking forward to their implementation,” he said.
“As I earlier said, we will win the war with F-16s. Obviously, we will not win immediately, but F-16s can change the course of the war and give us what we most need today — air superiority in the occupied territory,” Ihnat said. “Superiority in the air is key to success on the ground,” he added.
Ukraine needs 128 advanced fighter jets to replace its old fleet and gain air superiority, the spokesperson for Ukraine’s Air Force Command said. “We base our request on this number [128 fighter jets]. It may change as the battlefield situation changes, but we do need more than 100 fighter jets. We need to station them at different airfields so that they could respond to different threats and strike at different targets, including aircraft and ground targets, and, particularly, to strike behind enemy lines,” he said.
The Ukrainian Air Force vision statement says that Ukraine needs 128 fighter jets, Ihnat explained. With 42 F-16s Ukraine will put together roughly four aviation brigades, he added.
Ukrainian troops claim success southeast of Robotyne in Zaporizhzhia region
Ukrainian troops have had success southeast of Robotyne in Zaporizhzhia region where planned combat work is underway, Ukraine’s Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Malyar said on Telegram Monday. “Our units have had success southeast of Robotyne and south of Mala Tokmachka in Zaporizhzhia region,” Malyar said.
“The enemy tried to take back lost positions east of Robotyne, but to no avail,” she said.
“Planned combat work continues in Robotyne,” she added. Russian forces are on the defense on the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson axes, the message reads.
In Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, and Mykolayiv regions, the Russians continue to attack Ukrainian troops’ positions and strike at civilian facilities. They heavily use Lancet suicide drones, Malyar said.
Zelenskyi comments on offer to cede territory to Russia in exchange for NATO membership
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen spoke at a joint news conference in Denmark on Sunday, August 20.
When asked whether Ukraine might surrender certain territories to Russia in exchange for future NATO membership, Zelenskyi said: “Trade territories? We are ready to exchange Belgorod for our membership in NATO.”
On Sunday, Zelenskyi arrived in the Netherlands, and traveled to Denmark later that day.
On Sunday, the Wall Street Journal said that some Western officials would like to offer Ukraine NATO membership to accept the de facto loss of some territory.
Ukraine in Flames, latest episodes
Lost in Diplomacy: Can this war end in negotiations? Ukraine in Flames #491
Other episodes released in August: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2yzO4BDk7OuTWsq4004KBp-7xjYAL-wZ
