The Ukrainian air force is having a difficult time in the defensive battle against Russia, which has now lasted two years, because the invaders are clearly superior in the air. However, in recent days, the Ukrainian air force has achieved unusual successes. This fuels speculation about the deployment of Western fighter jets in the war zone.
The Russian air force recently suffered a major blow in Ukraine: in a period of ten days, Ukraine managed to shoot down ten Russian fighter planes from the sky. These include several Su-34 fighter-bombers. On Tuesday, Ukrainian defenders were able to shoot down two of these fighter jets in one day.
A particularly painful blow to the Russians was the shooting down of an A-50 reconnaissance aircraft last Friday. Russia has only seven other operational aircraft of this model.
Dozens of combat drones were also downed
In addition to the destroyed fighter jets, numerous kamikaze drones were also neutralized. On Wednesday night, all ten Shahed drones that Russia shot down at Ukrainian targets were taken out of the air. They were successfully intercepted over the Odessa and Mykolaiv regions by mobile army fire commands and anti-aircraft missile units, the air force said. A fire in Odessa caused by the crashed wreckage of a destroyed drone was immediately extinguished.
The downing of an A-50 aircraft, probably by a surface-to-air missile, is notable because such a Russian aircraft had only been destroyed in January. According to British military intelligence, this shows Russia’s inability to protect valuable aircraft. However, Ukraine is showing how quickly it can adapt and that it remains a threat to Russian forces.
Speculation about the use of F-16
Ukraine’s unusual successes are fueling speculation about whether Western F-16 fighter jets are already being used in the war zone. In an interview with ntv.de, Austrian army colonel Markus Reisner thinks this is possible. In the past, weapon systems were used before the actual announcement. However, there is currently “no visible evidence” of Western fighter jets in Ukraine, Reisner points out.
Several countries want to transfer F-16s to Ukraine once Ukrainian pilots complete their training in Denmark and Romania. Exactly when that will be remains a mystery. Just a few years ago, the Ukrainian Air Force shared a video of training in Denmark on Facebook. “We are doing everything we can to ensure that the Ukrainian pilots of the F-16 appear in Ukrainian airspace as soon as possible,” the message said.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
