Russia alleges that the F-16s stopped in Romania before reaching Ukraine. Where will they be hidden?
Also Read: Russia Threatens Romania With “Operation Count Dracula” Against F-16s Destined For Ukraine
Matviciuk says the planes will first be transferred to Romania or Poland for test flights by Ukrainian pilots.
According to the researcher, they may be used later in the Ternopil region or in the Lviv region, he writes. NEWS.ru.
The source noted that Ukraine had previously prepared airfields near Starokostiantyniv, Mirgorod and Poltava for the flights, but they were destroyed by the Russian military.
Russia accuses: F-16s stop in Romania before reaching Ukraine Where will they be hidden?
Viktor Kevliuk, a Ukrainian military expert at the Center for Defense Strategies, said that Ukraine had not properly invested in its defenses and that no one had prepared airfields to park aircraft in protected shelters.
Special equipment is needed to detect and shoot down Russian spy drones above airfields.
“Ukraine does not have such equipment. We have more airfields than we have anti-aircraft systems,” Kevliuk said.
Concrete shelters are essential to protect aircraft parked on airfields. According to Kevliuk, Ukraine does not have them.
The lack of these facilities and the lack of investment in concrete shelters to protect the fleet of F-16s announced a year ago is seen by military experts as a clear sign that Western fighter jets will not be stationed in Ukraine.
They will find refuge in neighboring countries, and Russia believes that one of these countries is Romania.
As it is now said that the main purpose of these planes will be to protect the grain export route in the Black Sea, there is even more doubt that the planes will be stationed in Romania.
According to Ukrinform, the F-16s delivered by the partners to Ukraine will be stored at secure air bases abroad.
Serhii Goluptsov, head of aviation at the Air Force Headquarters of Ukraine, said this in an interview with Radio Svoboda. Only a small number will enter the airstrips set up in Ukraine specifically for attacks against Russia.
Although Romanian officials have denied involvement in the delivery of F-16s to Ukraine, the Kremlin insists that Romania and Moldova are key elements in the process.
The pro-Kremlin Telegram/Rybar channel points out that the European Union has decided to allocate 9 million euros from the European Peace Fund for the modernization of Moldova’s air defenses.
The Telegram/Rybar channel reports that continued aid to Moldova shows that the country plays a key role in NATO’s plans, and that F-16 aircraft may be based at Mărculesti Airfield in Moldova, which is being modernized rapidly. “It was not rebuilt for civil aviation as previously planned to meet the potential needs of the armed forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine”.
“Furthermore, Romania has begun construction of a new military airstrip located at the 57 Captain Aviator Constantin Cantacuccino (Mihail Kogalnicianu) Air Base in Constanta County, southeast of the country.”
Following US Defense Secretary Anthony Blinken’s announcement that F-16 jets were heading to Ukraine, Telegram/Rybar responded strongly:
“In fact, the F-16s have been on the territory of Romania for a long time, and it will not take much time to fly to Ukraine. At least six aircraft are stationed at the Fetesti air base, where the pilots are trained. This statement is made on the sidelines of the NATO summit and is important, because soon US fighter jets will appear in the area of special operations. Let’s be ready.”
New weapons for F-16s destined for Ukraine
Russian expert Matvichyuk believes that the Ukrainian Armed Forces will use the F-16 not as an air force, but as a platform for launching Storm Shadow and Scalp cruise missiles.
Also Read: Netherlands Confirms: F-16s Are Going To Ukraine Defense of Odessa, priority
The Netherlands Ministry of Defense has announced that an additional 300 million euros will be allocated to purchase ammunition for F-16 fighter jets headed for Ukraine.
ok European PravdaThe additional funding will complement the 150 million euros already allocated by the Netherlands to arm the F-16s sent to Ukraine and purchased directly from industry.
Also Read: Ukraine’s F-16s to Protect Black Sea Grain Corridor From which country will they depart?
“With the ammunition we are buying, the F-16s will help repel Russian attacks. Putin’s aggression knows no bounds, so our support must continue at full speed,” commented Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Bregelmans.
“By purchasing these additional munitions for the F-16s, we want to send a signal to Moscow that NATO allies will continue to support Ukraine.
Russia should not win this war, it is also done for our security,” he added.
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