Ivan Sichen, an expert of the Independent Analytical Center for Geopolitical Studies “Borysfen Intel”, for Gazeta.ua
Within the framework of the new Ramstein, Ukraine will receive ammunition and anti-aircraft weapons. The West has further clearly outlined the issue of pilot training for F-16 aircraft. Our partners say that now is a turning point in the war. However, everything depends on the success in several sectors of the front and the supply of artillery and ammunition. This was told in a comment for Gazeta.ua by military expert Ivan Sichen.
“Russia continues to strike at Ukraine — Kharkiv, Odesa, Mykolaiv. We desperately need air defenses. The latest Ramstein raised exactly this issue. We badly need to make the wreckage of Russian missiles fall as far away from civilian objects as possible. The Russians still have an advantage in combat aviation. Here, too, air defense systems that will operate at the front will help. Ramstein also talked about artillery shells. During the offensive, we need more and more of them. We have already more or less leveled Russia’s superiority in artillery by destroying their guns. To continue this, we need more high-precision projectiles”, Sichen said.
Russia is conducting offensive operations in the Kupiansk direction, and we need more artillery shells to hit the enemy. This is where cluster munitions can help, the expert added.
“These are projectiles that allow to hit a large area. To fight the Russians, Ukraine also badly needs aviation. Ramstein raised the issue of training our pilots for the F-16 and creating support infrastructure. With the help of aircrafts, we will be able to overcome the superiority of the Russians in tactical aviation. Now they drop bombs without entering our airspace. We cannot fully counteract this with our aircrafts yet”, Sichen said.
At the front, preparations are underway for a turning point, the expert stressed.
“Of great importance will be the question of whether it will be possible to contain a massive Russian offensive in Luhansk region and whether we will be able to get positive results of our offensive near Bakhmut and in the south. If we liberate Bakhmut, we will neutralize the only achievement of the Russians in a few months. We also need to reach the Sea of Azov to cut the land corridor between Crimea and Russia. Important is the movement towards Melitopol, Berdiansk, Sievierodonetsk, Popasna, Lysychansk. If we achieve these successes, we can say that we have begun to win the war. But this decisive period will not be fast — it is several months of heavy fighting”, Sichen said.
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Preparation of practical training of Ukrainian pilots for F-16 fighters was one of the main topics of the 14th meeting of the Ukraine’s Defence Contact Group. This was stated following a meeting on Tuesday, by United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. Earlier this month, 11 partner countries, together with Ukraine, signed a memorandum on training Ukrainian pilots for F-16 fighter jets. The parties also discussed providing Ukraine with additional air defense equipment and ammunition. At the previous meeting in the Ramstein format, the partners discussed strengthening of Ukraine’s air defense. |
Author: Anastasiia Prokaieva
Source: Gazeta.ua
The article is available in Russian
