US: F-16 training for Ukrainian military a long-term commitment
US Department of Defense spokesman Brigadier General Ryder spoke behind the scenes of US President Joe Biden’s approval of providing F-16 pilot training Ukrainians at the daily press conference.
Saying that after the Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting in April, many countries asked Defense Minister Lloyd Austin for permission to train Ukrainian pilots for F-16s, Ryder said: “He also took the issue into consideration and He stated that in terms of Ukraine’s medium and long-term defense needs brought him into the National Security Council’s policy process to discuss how we would support the demand.” he said.
Expressing that this request was unanimously supported in the National Security Council, Ryder said that Austin conveyed this issue to Biden before the G-7 summit.
Ryder said they are working out the details of the training process and it could start in the next few weeks or months.
Asked if there is any timetable for the completion of training and delivery of the aircraft to Ukraine, the US general said: “The delivery of F-16 aircraft and training to Ukraine is a long-term commitment, it has nothing to do with the expected counterattack”. he gave the answer.
“THE FALL OF BAHMUT IS NOT A STRATEGIC GAIN FOR RUSSIA”
Commenting on the ongoing clashes in the town of Bahmut on Ukraine’s eastern border, Ryder stated that the situation in the region remains highly dynamic.
Ryder said: “Even if Russia takes it, it’s not a strategic gain and Russian forces pay a heavy price in terms of capability.” saying.
“UKRAINE DID NOT MAKE SUCH A REQUEST”
“The US government did not allow the transfer of US weapons to any paramilitary organization other than the Ukrainian military,” Ryder said. Ukraine did not make such a request to us.” saying.
Stating that he could not confirm the images on social media, Ryder claimed that the US regularly relayed to Kiev that weapons supplied to Ukraine should only be used for the country’s defense within the country.
Ryder also stated that there is a strict protocol on the use of weapons.
“WE DO NOT PROMOTE ATTACKS ON RUSSIAN LAND”
The Coordinator of Strategic Communications of the National Security Council of the White House, John Kirby, on the other hand, in an interview with CNN television, answered the question about the Ukrainian sabotage group that Russia claims to have entered the Belgorod region. of the country, that “he doesn’t know much about this attack.
Noting that these people were “symbols of Russian origin who were apparently sympathetic to the war in Ukraine,” Kirby said: “We don’t know much about the motivations of these groups and how they carried out these attacks.” he said.
Kirby stressed that they do not encourage Ukraine to carry out any attacks on Russian soil, noting that their goal is to ensure that Ukraine can defend its own territory.
“YES WE DOUBT THE REALITY OF THESE NEWS”
State Department spokesman Matt Miller responded to the question on the subject as follows:
“We have seen the news on social media and other outlets that US-supplied weapons were used in these attacks. We doubt the authenticity of these reports. As a general principle, as we said before, we do not recommend attacks inside Russia and we have made it clear. But how it will wage the war depends on Ukraine.”
Belgorod Region Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said in a statement today that the Ukrainian army-affiliated sabotage group entered Russia’s borders and that Russian security forces took steps to neutralize this group.
Photos of US-made weapons and armored vehicles were shared on social networks, as well as the bodies of dozens of Ukrainian fighters allegedly killed in the operation of Russian troops in the Belgorod region. (AA)