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The western city of Starokostiantyniv, home to one of Ukraine’s main air bases, has been the main target of Russian airstrikes.
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Ukraine has asked its NATO allies to send U. S. -made F-16s, persuading the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway and Belgium to commit to sending about 90 aircraft between them.
Dutch Defense Minister Kajsa Ollongren said the permits had approved the delivery of the 24 F-16s, regardless of today’s (July 2) government replacement. Ollongren did not specify how many F-16s will be sent in the first delivery, or when. The planes will arrive in Ukraine.
While Kyiv welcomes the promise of F-16s, Russian attacks on Ukrainian airfields highlight the demanding situations it faces in rebuilding its depleted air and air defenses.
President Volodymyr Zelensky has led Ukraine’s defense of Patriot missiles, the highest-capacity air defense systems that Kyiv opposes Russia’s aerial bombardments.
In April, the U. S. allocated $6 billion of its $60 billion aid package to Ukraine to the Patriots alone. Each battery costs about $1 billion and each missile costs $4 million.
Ukraine has lately 3 or 4 Patriot systems, provided through the United States and Germany. Zelensky says he wants at least seven to protect his main cities, adding the second-largest city of Kharkiv, which has been heavily targeted by Russian-guided aerial bombs from the KAB. .
The United States also discussed sending 8 Patriot systems from Israel to Ukraine, reaching a decision.
Zelensky is expected to reiterate those calls during his talks with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who arrived in Kyiv (July 1), a day after Hungary took over the presidency of the EU Council.
Orban, a vocal critic of the Western military for Ukraine and Putin’s best friend, is said to have presented Zelensky with a ceasefire agreement. None of the prime ministers have revealed Zelensky’s precise answer.
Attention is now focused on the imminent delivery of F-16s to the Netherlands, the option of new Patriot shipments, and how Ukraine will protect its airfields from Russian attacks.
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