Looks like Ukraine is targeting Russia‘s air defenses before the arrival of F-16 fighter jets from the U.S. Kyiv claims to have taken out expensive air defense assets near its borders.
The Institute for the Study of War in the U.S. says, “Ukrainian Forces are likely working to degrade Russian Air Defenses before receiving a substantial number of aircraft.”
Kyiv will soon get F-16 fighter jets from Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, and Belgium to bolster its old Soviet-era fleet against the more advanced Russian planes.
Although the exact arrival date of the F-16s is unclear, they’re expected in a few weeks. Ukrainian pilots are getting trained by NATO while Kyiv prepares the necessary infrastructure.
Ukraine has already struck Russian air defense assets, posing a threat to Russia’s prized F-16 Fleet once it’s operational.
Recently, Ukraine took down S-300 & S-400 radars in Crimea, close to Russia’s Black Sea fleet. The attack was reportedly carried out using ATACMS.
Reports show Ukraine also hit an S-300 air defense battery near Russia’s border in Belgorod, targeting key Russian air assets like the Su-57 stealth jets.
ISW highlighted the importance of the destroyed Russian air defense systems, hindering Ukraine’s ability to support Russian offensive maneuvers from the sky.
Ukrainian flying commanders plan to store some F-16s in secure bases abroad to safeguard them from potential Russian attacks.