The enemy is targeting Ukrainian airfields: military expert explains whether this will prevent the delivery of F-16s

The Russian occupation forces are targeting military airfields on the territory of Ukraine before the Ukrainian Defense Forces receive their first modern F-16 fighter jets. At the same time, our protective structures around these facilities are probably not perfect.

Ukraine's air defense system cannot protect the entire territory of the state. Perhaps this fact is one of the reasons why our Western partners are delaying the delivery of the first F-16s to Ukraine. This opinion was expressed by military expert Vladyslav Seleznyov on OBOZ.Talk.

The expert noted that the Air Force reports on our achievements but ignores the public demand as to why a network of protective structures has not yet been created. This creates opportunities for the Russian occupiers to target and destroy our very valuable aircraft.

"If we are now losing MiGs and SUs, where is the guarantee that our Western partners are ready to give us F-16s so that we can lose them in the same unfavorable conditions? The answer is obvious. Therefore, this may be one of the reasons for the delay in receiving the first batch of F-16s," Seleznyov said.

He reminded that before the decision was made to transfer F-16 fighters to Ukraine, our Western partners set three tasks for us. One of them is pilot training, the second is flight personnel training, and the third is the preparation of our aviation infrastructure.

"The aviation infrastructure must fully meet the responsibilities of receiving, maintaining, servicing high-tech, modern aircraft, which we know as F-16s. Whether everything has been done in our country for this is an open question," the expert said.

However, it is obvious that the enemy is closely monitoring our airfields, in particular those located in Khmelnytskyi, Ivano-Frankivsk and Poltava regions.

"The recent shelling in the Poltava region near Kryvyi Rih indicate that our protective structures around these strategic facilities are not perfect. There is still work to be done. In terms of arranging appropriate protection for our aircraft, in terms of strengthening the air defense system, and in terms of enhancing our ability to destroy enemy reconnaissance drones," Seleznyov emphasized.

The expert noted that Ukraine also has small aircraft and can use them to destroy enemy reconnaissance UAVs. For example, there is a case when pilots of Yak-52 sport aircraft dstroyed Russian reconnaissance drones in Odesa.

"What prevents the residents of Poltava or Dnipro regions from following the same guidelines? Do we not have small aircraft? Yes, we do. Do we not have pilots with the appropriate professional skills to implement this? I think we do. But what is the reason for the lack of proper communication and appropriate exercises aimed at strengthening the security space around our strategic facilities? The answer remains rather rhetorical," he summarized.

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