On Thursday, Russia’s Defence Ministry announced that it had launched missile strikes on Ukrainian airfields allegedly designated to host Western military aircraft.
According to the ministry, the strikes utilized sea-based long-range precision weapons, the Kinzhal hypersonic missile, and drones. The targets, which were not specifically named, were reportedly all successfully hit.
The attack follows pledges from Kiev’s Western allies, including the US, Belgium, Denmark, Norway, and the Netherlands, to provide Ukraine with up to 60 F-16 fighter jets by the year’s end. However, deliveries have been delayed due to ongoing pilot training efforts in Ukraine. Reports indicate that Ukrainian pilots are still undergoing training and that there is a shortage of maintenance crews necessary to service the jets.
As a contingency, Sergey Golubtsov, chief of aviation for Ukraine’s Air Force Command, suggested recently that some of the F-16s could be stationed in neighboring NATO countries due to the pilot shortage. However, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan reaffirmed that under the terms of a new security agreement, the F-16s are intended to be based in Ukraine itself.
In response to Western support for Ukraine, Moscow has repeatedly warned that any foreign-supplied weapons, including fighter jets and their hosting bases, will be considered legitimate targets for Russian military strikes.
