EINDHOVEN, Netherlands — Denmark will donate 19 19 F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen stated Sunday, hours after an identical provide from the Netherlands.
The provide got here as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited each international locations.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows under.
The Netherlands and Denmark introduced Sunday they’ll give F-16 warplanes to Ukraine, a long-awaited announcement that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy known as an necessary motivation for his nation’s forces, embroiled in a tough counteroffensive towards Russia.
The promise of latest fighter jets got here the day after an unusually brazen Russian missile strike on a Ukrainian theater that killed seven folks and wounded nearly 150 others within the northern metropolis of Chernihiv. Zelenskyy vowed stern retaliation for the assault, whose victims included a slain 6-year-old lady lifeless and 15 wounded youngsters.
After months of entreaties from Zelenskyy for F-16s to bolster the Ukrainian air power, the U.S. lately gave approval for the Netherlands and Denmark to supply Ukraine the American-made jets. Zelenskyy travelled to each international locations Sunday to finalize the supply offers.
’’F-16s will definitely give new power, confidence, and motivation to fighters and civilians. I’m certain it can ship new outcomes for Ukraine and the whole Europe,″ the Ukrainian chief stated.
Ukraine hopes the jets give it a fight edge, after launching a counteroffensive towards the Kremlin’s forces with out air cowl, putting its troops on the mercy of Russian aviation and artillery.
It’s not clear but how quickly the jets shall be in Ukrainian palms or in Ukrainian skies. It will depend on how quickly Ukrainian crews and infrastructure are prepared, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte stated after he and Zelenskyy inspected two grey F-16 jets parked in a hangar on the Dutch base within the southern metropolis of Eindhoven.
“The F-16s is not going to assist instantly now with the conflict effort. It’s anyway a long-term dedication from the Netherlands,” the Dutch chief stated. “We would like them to be lively and operational as quickly as doable. … Not for the following month, that’s inconceivable, however hopefully quickly afterward.”
A couple of hours later, Zelenskyy was obtained by Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen together with the nation’s overseas minister, protection minister and Crown Princess Mary on the Skrydstrup air base in southern Denmark. The prime minister’s workplace stated the 2 leaders would tour the bottom, see F-16 jets and obtain an replace on the beginning of coaching of Ukrainian pilots.
“It makes me proud that Denmark, along with the Netherlands, will donate F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine’s battle for freedom towards Russia and its mindless aggression. Denmark’s help for Ukraine is unwavering, and with the donation of F-16 plane, Denmark is now main the way in which,” Danish Protection Minister Jakob Ellemann-Jensen stated in a press release.
Zelenskyy stated on his Telegram channel that Ukraine would get 42 jets, however the Netherlands and Denmark, in a joint assertion saying the deliveries, didn’t specify numbers.
The Dutch and Danish governments are additionally concerned in a coalition that’s working to coach Ukrainian pilots to fly the superior fighter jets.
Zelenskyy declined to say what number of Ukrainian pilots would bear coaching in Denmark and later in Romania, citing safety causes. Denmark stated Friday that the coaching is beginning this month, and officers have beforehand stated that Ukrainian pilots will want six to eight months of coaching.
On Friday, the Netherlands and Denmark stated the U.S. had licensed them to ship American-made F-16s to Ukraine. Washington’s approval was seen as a significant increase for Kyiv, despite the fact that the fighter jets gained’t have a right away influence on the just about 18-month conflict.
Washington says the F-16s — just like the superior U.S. Abrams tanks — shall be essential in the long run as Kyiv faces down Russia.
Ukraine has been counting on older plane, corresponding to Russian-made MiG29 and Sukhoi jets. F-16s have newer know-how and focusing on capabilities. They’re additionally extra versatile, specialists say.
In Ukraine, the governor of the Chernihiv area, Vyacheslav Chaus, stated Sunday that the entire variety of folks confirmed to have been wounded within the theater assault within the heart of city Saturday had risen to 148.
“I’m certain our troopers will reply to Russia for this terrorist assault. Reply tangibly,” Zelenskyy stated in a video deal with revealed within the early hours of Sunday on the finish of a go to to Sweden.
In japanese Ukraine, Kharkiv regional Gov. Oleh Syniehubov stated Sunday that Russia was shelling town of Kupiansk “all day lengthy,” with an assault on Sunday afternoon within the metropolis heart wounding 11 folks. A person was killed in Russian shelling of Vovchansk, additionally within the Kharkiv area, in keeping with Ukraine’s Inside Affairs Ministry.
In the meantime in Russia on Sunday, the Protection Ministry stated Sunday that its air protection techniques had prevented an assault by three drones on the Belgorod area, which borders Ukraine.
Russian air defenses additionally jammed a drone flying in direction of Moscow early Sunday, inflicting it to crash. Russia’s Protection Ministry known as it “an try by the Kyiv regime to hold out a terrorist assault.”
Moscow’s Vnukovo and Domodedovo airports briefly suspended flights, however no victims or harm had been reported.
Within the metropolis of Kursk, 5 folks had been wounded when a Ukrainian drone hit a practice station, regional Gov. Roman Starovoit stated. Kursk is the capital of the western area of the identical identify, which borders Ukraine.
Ukrainian authorities, who usually keep away from commenting on assaults on Russian soil, didn’t say whether or not it launched the assaults.
Drone strikes on the Russian border areas are a reasonably common incidence. Assaults deeper inside Russian territory have been on the rise since a drone was destroyed over the Kremlin in early Could. Profitable strikes have uncovered the vulnerabilities of Moscow’s air protection techniques.
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Ritter reported from Stockholm. Elise Morton in London and Angela Charlton in Paris contributed.
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Comply with AP’s protection of the conflict in Ukraine: https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine