June 20 —  General Arnoud Stallmann, a Dutch Air Force commander, said he expects F-16 jets to fly over Ukraine this summer in an interview with The Guardian published on June 20.

Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Norway agreed to provide Ukraine with about 80 American-made F-16 jets. Ukraine has been waiting for months to start using them, but delays in the delivery of the aircraft and pilot training have slowed the process.

In particular, F-16s are expected to protect Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second city, as Russia has been using glide aerial bombs (KABs) extensively against the city, especially since the start of a new ground offensive from the north in May.  

Anatolii Khrapchynskyi, an aviation expert and former Ukrainian military pilot, said, “The Russians will be forced to change their tactics. We will be able to target their planes and missiles more effectively, and it will be really difficult for them to keep using KAB guided air bombs, which they need to launch from 50 to 70 km [31-43 miles — ed] away.”

Mykhailo Podolyak, an aide to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said last month: “Against these [KABs], even air defense systems are not so useful, only aviation. The F-16 has a longer range than Russian MiG and Su planes.” [the latter are often used to launch glide bombs — ed.]

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an interview with the Italian TV channel Sky TG24 on June 15 that Russia drops 3,200-3,500 guided bombs on the civilians and civilian infrastructure of Ukraine per month.

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  • The Russian army dropped a gliding aerial bomb (KAB) on the territory of two recreation camps in Kharkiv, injuring a woman. The Russian bomb attack also damaged a private house and a car, Syniehubov said.