[ad_1]
COPENHAGEN: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy instructed a crowd in Denmark on Monday that promised deliveries of US-made F-16 fighter jets had made him assured Ukraine might finish Russia’s warfare.
Denmark and the Netherlands on Sunday introduced they’d provide the primary F-16s to Ukraine, with the preliminary six on account of be delivered round New Yr. Washington had permitted the supply of the jets forward of Zelenskiy’s journey to Copenhagen.
“Right this moment we’re assured that Russia will lose this warfare,” Zelenskiy instructed hundreds of people that gathered exterior the Danish parliament to listen to his speech.
Russia warned earlier that supplying the jets to Ukraine would solely escalate the warfare, which has dragged on for nearly 18 months. Russian forces are occupying nearly a fifth of Ukraine’s territory and Kyiv is battling exhausting to push them out.
“The truth that Denmark has now determined to donate 19 F-16 plane to Ukraine results in an escalation of the battle,” Russian Ambassador Vladimir Barbin mentioned in an announcement cited by the Ritzau information company.
“By hiding behind a premise that Ukraine itself should decide the circumstances for peace, Denmark seeks with its actions and phrases to go away Ukraine with no different selection however to proceed the navy confrontation with Russia,” he mentioned.
The Ukrainian navy mentioned the jet was important to the success of its counteroffensive, which has proceeded slowly since its launch in early June, as it will forestall Russian fighter jets attacking advancing forces.
“Superiority within the air is vital to success on the bottom,” air pressure spokesman Yuriy Ihnat was quoted as saying by Ukrainian media.
Danish Defence Minister Jakob Ellemann-Jensen mentioned Ukraine might solely use the donated F-16s inside its personal territory.
“We donate weapons underneath the situation that they’re used to drive the enemy out of the territory of Ukraine. And no additional than that,” Ellemann-Jensen mentioned on Monday.
“These are the circumstances, whether or not it is tanks, fighter planes or one thing else,” he mentioned.
Denmark will ship 19 jets in complete. The Netherlands has 42 F-16s out there in all however has but to determine whether or not all of them will likely be donated.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has referred to as the choice a “breakthrough settlement”.
Defence Minister Oleksiy Reznikov mentioned on Saturday that Ukrainian pilots had begun coaching, however it will take at the very least six months and probably longer to additionally prepare engineers and mechanics. — Reuters
[ad_2]
Source link
