The dispatch of fighter jets to Ukraine divides the positions of the allies

Ukraine’s allies have announced the shipment of new, more modern, more powerful and never-before-approved weapons to support kyiv’s military campaign against Russian forces. This in an effort to try to repel the Russian outpost that is expected to arrive in the coming months.

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The United States has begun shipping the first 60 Bradley infantry fighting vehicles to Ukraine, but has ruled out, along with other countries such as the United Kingdom or Germany, the supply of F-16 fighters requested by kyiv; while Poland and France are not closed to Zelensky’s request.

The United States Transportation Command (Ustranscom) announced that the shipment, which includes other weapons in addition to the Bradleys, considered a tank killer, sailed last week from North Charleston, South Carolina.

“The Bradleys we are supplying to the Ukrainians they are powerful vehicles“said the head of Ustrascom, Air General Jacqueline Van Ovost, in an interview with Joint Force Quarterly magazine.

According to the military, the use of these armored vehicles will expand the capabilities of the Ukrainian forces since they are provided with equipment that “equals or exceeds those of the Russians.”

Although the US has considerably increased military aid to Ukraine, to which it will send 31 Abrams heavy tanks, its president, Joe Biden, was categorical on Monday when he stated that will not supply F16 fighter jets to the kyiv government.

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The British Government today seconded Washington’s position -which adds to Germany’s rejection- by pointing out that “not practical” to deliver fighter jets to Ukraine to defend against the Russian invasion.

A spokesman for the prime minister, Rishi Sunak, said training the Ukrainian military to handle “extremely sophisticated” fighters such as Typhoons and F-35s it would take too long.

The London statement comes after France was open to supporting Ukraine with military jets. “Nothing is excluded,” French President Emmanuel Macron said.

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Ukraine says it needs 200 planes

According to the spokesman for the Ukrainian Air Force, Colonel Yuri Ignat, the country, which is one of the largest in Europe, you will need up to 200 multirole aircraft to defend their skies both in times of war and peace.

“It is clear that we will not be able to receive everything at once. It is evident that at the beginning there will be some squads,” said the military, quoted today by the digital Ukrainska Pravda.

He explained that first it will be necessary to prepare the pilots, engineers, as well as the necessary infrastructures to provide the country with new combat aircraft.

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“But the transition to a new multipurpose aircraft is a requirement of the times,” stressed the colonel.

If kyiv’s requests for fighter planes do not generally find receptive ears in the West, those for tanks have been much better received.

Western tanks, an assured support

“The tank coalition has 12 participants. It is still premature to name all the countries in the coalition with concrete contributions, Well, some of them you have to make the formal decision following its internal procedures,” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dymtri Kuleba said in a video posted on Facebook today.

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However, he said that the Ukrainian Armed Forces expect to receive between 120 and 140 modern Western tanks “in the first wave” of supplies.

Kuleba, referring to German Leopard 2, British Challenger 2 and American M1 Abrams tanks, added that Ukraine also he is confident that he will be able to count on the French Leclerc.

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“Ukrainian public opinion and partners know what kind of weapons we still need. First of all it concerns fighter planes and missiles that can hit targets at a distance of 300 kilometers,” the minister told an online news conference.

He stressed that this “is not an escalation weapon (of war) but a defensive weapon, to contain the aggressor.”

Russian offensive continues

Russia, while weapons from the West have not yet arrived, announced on Tuesday the “liberation” of the town of Blahodatne, in the Donetsk People’s Republic, as one of the four Ukrainian regions annexed by Moscow in the course of its military campaign in Ukraine.

“In the Donetsk sector, as a result of the successful offensive actions of volunteer assault detachments, supported by tactical aviation, rocket artillery and artillery of the South military group, they liberated the town of Blahodatne,” the ministry spokesman said. of Defense of Russia, Igor Konashenkov.

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Blahodate is located 10 kilometers north of Bajmut, a city next to which since fierce fighting has been going on for months and whose capture has become, judging by the intensity of the battle, the most immediate objective of the Russian troops.

EFE