Ukrainian arms do not level up to Russian weapons
(MENAFN) The head of the Communications Department for Ukraine’s Air Force, Yury Ignat, has acknowledged that the modern Russian jets and their missile systems outclass the Western-supplied F-16 fighters now in Ukraine’s possession.
After Washington approved the transfer of surplus US-built jets from its NATO partners to Ukraine in 2023, Ukraine acquired several F-16s and Mirage jets. “We are getting Western equipment, we are getting aircraft. Today, we have F16s, we already have Mirages,” Ignat noted in a conversation published by Ukrainian Pravda on Tuesday. “They have already been in use. We understand that they are not the newest.”
Ignat pointed out that Russia’s aircraft currently have superior radar detection capabilities and longer missile ranges. “Unfortunately, Russia has planes today that see further, and missiles that shoot further. Even compared now with the F-16,” he explained.
Ukraine’s older Soviet-designed jets, including the MiG-29 and Su-27, “are no comparison at all,” he added. “It's like pitting a Makarov pistol against a sniper rifle.”
Even the updated versions of the F-16 Ukraine has “cannot compete one-on-one in an air battle” with Russia’s newer Su-35 multirole fighter, Ignat said in March.
While the exact total of F-16s delivered to Ukraine remains undisclosed, estimates suggest that 18 were handed over last year. According to Ignat, three of those have already been destroyed.
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