Ukrainian Air Force denies Le Figaro’s report that France trains Ukrainian pilots on Mirage fighter jets (updated)

Le Figaro reported that France is currently training a group of around thirty Ukrainian pilots on Mirage 2000 combat aircraft, Le Figaro writes. According to the report, the pilots are receiving an accelerated training program on French fighter-bombers at the Mont-de-Marsan and Nancy air bases, which has been ongoing for more than a month and a half. If the political decision is made, France could also deliver around ten fighter jets to the Ukrainian army, Le Figaro added. Update: Information about the training of Ukrainian pilots in France on Mirage 2000 fighters is not true, according to Yurii Ihnat, the spokesman of the Air Force Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He stated this in a comment to the Ukrainian office of Radio Liberty on March 22:

"Currently, the information is spreading that allegedly Ukrainian pilots have been trained in France for a month and a half on Mirage planes. I would like to refute this right away, so that there are no distortions," Ihnat said, adding that "Yes, various countries offer us their sites for the possible, potential, future training of our pilots for the type that will be chosen collegially during consultations with our Western partners."

At the same time, the spokesman does not deny that the Ukrainian military did undergo training in France, however, according to him, those were not pilots:

"Air support controllers were trained in France and [there were] survival courses for aviators, but there is no talk of training the flight crews now," Ihnat said.

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• There are discussions with Kyiv on French planes, training Ukrainian pilots – French Defense Minister