Ukrainian pilots start F-16 training, defense minister announces

byOlena Mukhina

19/08/2023

1 minute read

Norwegian F-16. Photo: Norwegian Air Force

Ukrainian pilots start F-16 training, defense minister announces

Minister of Defense Oleksiy Reznikov has said that Ukrainian pilots have already started training on Western F-16 fighter jets, essential for the country to shoot down Russian drones and missiles.

The announcement came the day after Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen and Dutch Foreign Minister Wopke Hoekstra confirmed that the US approved the transfer of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine following the completion of pilots’ training.

Denmark, Netherlands confirm US approval to transfer F-16 jets to Ukraine

According to the minister, Ukrainian engineers and technicians have also joined the six-month training program.

Reznikov has emphasized that the Ukrainian military will complete training when F-16 instructors confirm that pilots engineers, and technicians learn new skills and efficiently cooperate within teams.

You could close this page. Or you could join our community and help us produce more materials like this. We keep our reporting open and accessible to everyone because we believe in the power of free information. This is why our small, cost-effective team depends on the support of readers like you to bring deliver timely news, quality analysis, and on-the-ground reports about Russia's war against Ukraine and Ukraine's struggle to build a democratic society. A little bit goes a long way: for as little as the cost of one cup of coffee a month, you can help build bridges between Ukraine and the rest of the world, plus become a co-creator and vote for topics we should cover next. Become a patron or see other ways to support. Become a Patron!

To suggest a correction or clarification, write to us here

You can also highlight the text and press Ctrl + Enter