Danish Defense Ministry: Kyiv will be able to use the F-16 only on the territory of Ukraine

The Ukrainian military will be able to use the F-16 fighters, which Denmark intends to transfer to Kyiv, only on the territory of Ukraine. This was announced by Danish Minister of Defense Jakob Elleman-Jensen.

“We transfer weapons on the condition that they are used to force the enemy out of Ukraine. Nothing more,” he saidquote according to Reuters).

The minister stressed that these are the conditions for the transfer of any military equipment to Ukraine – “whether it be tanks, fighter jets or something else.” He noted that Kyiv will still receive this signal from Copenhagen.

The day before, on August 20, Denmark announced the shipment of 19 F-16 fighters to Ukraine. The Prime Minister of the Kingdom, Mette Frederiksen, expressed her hope that the delivery of the first six aircraft will be closer to the New Year. Kyiv will receive eight F-16s in 2024, and five more in 2025. According to Frederiksen, 70 Ukrainian pilots are now trained in Denmark.

Russian Ambassador to Denmark Vladimir Barbin noted that the transfer of the F-16 to Ukraine leads to an escalation of the conflict. “Hiding behind the thesis that Ukraine itself should determine the conditions for peace, Denmark, by its deeds and words, seeks to leave Ukraine no choice but to continue the military confrontation with Russia. Such a position pushes Ukraine into the abyss, and condemns its population to new victims,” says in his statement.

On August 18, Reuters, citing an unnamed US official, reported that Washington had allowed Denmark and the Netherlands to supply F-16s to Ukraine after pilot training was completed. Obtaining permission from Washington confirmed at the Danish Foreign Ministry. The next day, Minister of Defense of Ukraine Oleksiy Reznikov declaredthat Ukrainian pilots have already begun training on American fighters. The training period will be at least six months.

Russian President Vladimir Putin at the SPIEF plenary session declaredthat in the case of deliveries to Ukraine, F-16 fighters will burn in the same way as Leopard tanks. In the Kremlin before spokethat such assistance to Kyiv will not change the situation on the line of contact. Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov promised military-technical response in the event of an F-16 appearing in the sky of Ukraine.