Biden: F-16s would not help Kyiv in Artemovsk

Fighters of the fourth generation F-16 would not have affected the outcome of the situation in Artemovsk (Ukrainian name – Bakhmut). US President Joe Biden said

“The F-16s would not have helped in this regard at all. There was no need for them, for example, in the situation with Bakhmut, ”he said, commenting on the statement of the Russian Ministry of Defense about the capture of Artemovsk and reports from Kyiv that refute this information (quote according to RIA Novosti).

On the night of May 21, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation statedthat Artemovsk completely came under the control of Russia. The city was liberated by assault detachments of the PMC “Wagner” with the support of artillery and aviation of the “Southern” group of forces. The founder of Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, specified that by May 25, PMC fighters would inspect the territory and, after the creation of defensive lines, would hand over Artemovsk to the military.

Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated PMC “Wagner” and the Russian military with the capture of the city. In the Kremlin press service clarifiedthat all those who distinguished themselves in the battles at Artemovsk will be presented for state awards.

In Kyiv, commenting on the status of Artemovsk, they make conflicting statements. Earlier today, Reuters reported that in response to a question about whether the city is under the control of Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky answered: “I think not. Today Bakhmut remains only in our hearts.” However, later the press secretary of the President of Ukraine Sergey Nikiforov declaredthat Zelensky’s words related to the journalist’s remark about the statement of the Russian Ministry of Defense about the capture of Artemovsk. Nikiforov stressed that the Ukrainian leader denied the surrender of the city.

Ukrainian authorities raised the question of the supply of fighters after the decision of the United States and Germany to transfer heavy tanks to Ukraine in January of this year. Earlier, Biden stressed that Washington is not going to supply Kyiv with F-16 fighter jets.

At the same time, on May 19, the American president told the G7 leaders that the United States would facilitate the training of Ukrainian pilots to fly the F-16. According to media reports, these trainings can only be carried out at European bases. CNN citing sources informedthat the US presidential administration made it clear to European allies that it would not block the supply of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine. NBC clarified that it is not yet known which countries and in what timeframe can send fighter jets to Ukraine.

The Russian authorities have repeatedly criticized the supply of Western weapons to Kyiv. In particular, the official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, warned that pumping Ukraine with weapons brings NATO closer to the dangerous line of a direct military clash with Russia. The Kremlin previously stressed that Russia is ready for “further pumping” of Ukraine’s weapons from the West.