President Zelensky Convinced of Winning the War After Getting Jets from NATO, Expert: Russia Will Destroy Ukraine's F-16 Airfield

JAKARTA - Moscow will retaliate for the West's delivery of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, by attacking the airfields that Kyiv has to build for the planes to operate, a Russian military expert has said.

The Netherlands and Denmark last weekend confirmed they would supply F-16 fighter jets made in the United States to Ukraine, after Washington gave the green light last Friday.

Delivery of the long-awaited aircraft in Kyiv is expected to begin later this year.

In response, military expert and retired Russian colonel Viktor Litovkin said Ukraine needed to prepare "airfields equipped with adequate equipment, radar stations and special equipment for pre-flight preparation and post-flight maintenance, as well as fuel purification devices and missile storage areas for the F-16."

"Ukraine doesn't have all that. If they start building everything, Russia will not turn a blind eye. The Russian Armed Forces will wait until the construction work reaches a certain point and then go on the offensive," Litovkin told Russia's state-run TASS news agency, as quoted by The National News, August 23.

Litovkin further said that the F-16 would not be able to match the capabilities of Russian fighter jets, referring to the F-16 as a "single-engine aircraft that is not capable of complex maneuvers in the air", while Russian aircraft have two engines.

"Our aircraft can actually rotate in place, avoiding missiles thanks to its high maneuverability," he said.

Previously, Denmark and the Netherlands, two NATO members, promised to send 61 F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, after their pilots underwent training to fly them.

Copenhagen will deliver 19 aircraft, with six of them delivered later this year, eight next year and five in 2025, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said while receiving a visit from President Volodymyr Zelensky Sunday.

"Today we are sure that Russia will lose this war. But this is not the only main thing. The main thing is what we proved by our victory, by our cooperation, what you proved by supporting Ukraine. Together we proving that life is a value, that people matter, freedom matters, Europe matters. I'm sure it will be written in history too because of you, with Ukraine," President Zelensky said as he addressed a crowd outside the Danish Parliament Building, as quoted from the website of the Presidency of Ukraine.

On this occasion, President Zelensky also appreciated and thanked Denmark for help when Ukraine needed it. Such as the weapons assistance that has been provided, as well as the upcoming F-16 jets, to assistance when Ukraine has to survive through the freezing winter, because Russia attacked a vital power plant.

"Thank you very much! Thank you for your attitude to our people, to Ukraine! To all your families, all your homes, all your people, all your cities! Thank you very much, Denmark!" exclaimed President Zelensky.

It is known, the operational training of F-16 fighter jets for Ukrainian pilots will be carried out by a coalition of 11 countries starting this month, hoping they will be ready in early 2024.

The Ukrainian armed forces are known to still use old Soviet-era combat aircraft from the 1970s and 1980s. Meanwhile, the counterattack carried out against the positions of the Russian troops encountered the main obstacle in the form of the absence of adequate air support.