Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been asking Western countries for months to get US fighter jets of the F-16 type in order to make progress in the war against the Russian occupation forces. Some European countries have left the door open, but the United States has said that it is currently not relevant. These days, two Ukrainian representatives of the organization International center for Ukrainian Victory are in Norway to explain to Norwegian politicians and experts why the F-16 is absolutely crucial for the further course of the war. – Absolutely critical – The Russians will not stop until they are stopped. We Ukrainians are able to stop them on the battlefield, but without controlling the airspace, we are not going to win. This is absolutely critical to achieve, says Daria Kaleniuk to news. NECESSARY: Ukrainian authorities are making a strong case for getting US F-16 fighter jets. Photo: Reuters She points out that Ukraine does not have fighter jets that can shoot down all types and especially the most modern Russian fighter jets or Russian missiles. The Ukrainians only have air defenses that can be fired from the ground. These weapons have a relatively short range. The Ukrainians can only shoot down a Russian missile after it has come quite close to its target in Ukraine. Nor can they shoot down planes or missiles immediately after they have entered Ukrainian airspace. – We would be able to do that if we had F-16s with modern missiles. We want to shoot down Russian warplanes over Crimea or other places that the Russians have occupied, emphasizes the Ukrainian activist. A new tactic The two Ukrainian representatives say that Russia began using a modified type of bomb just over a month ago. They go by the name FAB 500. 500 KILO EXPLOSIVES: The usual FAB 500 bomb is displayed on the websites of the state-owned Russian company that sells such weapons. Photo: Rosoboroneksport They are actually old bombs that were developed during the Soviet Union. The Russians probably have a lot of them. But the new thing is that the Russians have put wings and GPS control on them. Russian fighter jets drop them from a height of 8-10 kilometers, and then they can be guided 70-80 kilometers inland towards targets in Ukraine. – These bombs change the situation on the battlefield in a dramatic way, they are very frightening for both military and civilians, says Kaleniuk. She states that the glide bombs cause a great deal of destruction. They contain 500 kilograms of explosives, but according to the Ukrainian activist, the Russians are now planning to make bombs with 1,500 kilograms of explosives. They should be very difficult to stop with the Ukrainian air force. 1500 KILO EXPLOSIVES: A modified Russian bomb with steering wings and GPS is displayed on the websites of the state-owned Russian company that sells such weapons. Photo: Rosoboroneksport – In a short time, the Russians will be able to wipe out whole quarters in our cities that are close to the front line or close to the border with Russia, Kaleniuk believes. She says that a month ago the Russians used 25 such glide bombs a week, now they use 25 per week. day. – Danger of nuclear emissions Victoria Voytsitska is a former member of parliament in Ukraine, and together with other former politicians and activists, she is now working to get as much international support as possible for Ukraine’s fight against Russia. She emphasizes that Ukraine needs the Western fighter jets to protect itself against Russian attacks on important infrastructure such as power stations and power supplies. Voytsitska says that the Russians are attacking the power supply to several of Ukraine’s nuclear power plants, not only at the large plant in Zaporizhzhya. DECISION: Victoria Voytsitska (TV) and Daria Kaleniuk represent the organization International Center for Ukrainian Victory. They are in Norway to get support for Ukraine’s desire for Western fighter jets. Photo: Jan Espen Kruse / news – The risk is enormous that there could be large emissions of radioactivity that could in turn affect large parts of Europe. To prevent the Russian attacks, Western fighters are absolutely essential. The two Ukrainian women believe that Norway should play an important role in mobilizing European countries so that they supply Ukraine with Western combat aircraft. They point out that the Americans decide that question, but believe that if Norway, Denmark, Belgium, the Netherlands, the Baltic countries and Central/Eastern European countries are in favor of it, then it will have an effect. These countries can contribute with aircraft, support functions and financing. – Without dominance in the air, we don’t really fight, because the risk to the forces on land and at sea is too great, say the two. – More efficient with Western aircraft – Ukraine will soon need to replace the old Soviet combat aircraft they now have, which have a limited service life left, says Per Erik Solli to news. He is a senior defense analyst at the Norwegian Foreign Policy Institute, Nupi. PROCESS: Per Erik Solli is a senior defense analyst at the Norwegian Foreign Policy Institute, Nupi. He believes that Ukraine needs to replace old Soviet fighters. Photo: Benjamin Fredriksen / news But he emphasizes that it is a complicated process that will take quite a long time and should be started as soon as possible, regardless of the ongoing war. It’s not just pilots that have to be trained, a large ground apparatus is also needed. The process of replacing the fighter planes should start relatively soon and not once the fighting ends. Then the Ukrainians could be left without operational combat aircraft in a very vulnerable phase. That is why it is important to have an air defense system with both combat aircraft and anti-aircraft defense. Ukraine is a large country, and it is not possible to have all places covered by air defenses. Solli confirms that the glide bombs that Russia is now using can hit targets up to 80 kilometers from where they are released. But it depends on the speed and altitude of the bomber. – The most important thing for the Ukrainians is probably that they can threaten and displace the Russian fighter planes that deliver glide bombs and other long-range weapons if they get F-16s with modern missiles, says Solli. He believes that the Ukrainian Air Force will become more effective in the air defense role against all types of weapons if they also receive Western fighters.
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Russia uses glide bombs in a new tactic – news Urix – Foreign news and documentaries
