The plan to give F-16s to the Kiev regime is looking more like a phantom every day. The Washington Post reported yesterday that the first group of six Ukrainian pilots won’t be ready for combat until the summer of 2024. The timeline reflects the disconnect between Ukraine’s supporters, who envision F-16s as a key tool in the country’s long-term defense, and Kyiv, which has desperately requested that the jets reach the battle space as soon as possible, viewing them as critical for the current fight against occupying Russian forces, the Post reports, citing the dividing line between the Kiyv regime and the Pentagon.
But after the start of training was pushed back several times, Ukraine will now probably have to endure another year without the fighters, which officials in Kyiv have predicted would provide a significant military edge amid a slow-going counteroffensive and help better protect civilians against Russia’s regular missile and drone strikes, reports the Post.