Summary

  • Denmark permits Ukraine to strike Russian military targets
  • Belgium donates F-16s w/condition not to fire at Russia
  • NATO member countries mull permitting Ukraine to strike Russia

Denmark has just stated that Ukraine can use its donated F-16 Fighting Falcons to fire into Russia proper. One of the biggest questions currently raging in the West is whether to permit Ukraine to use Western-supplied weapons to fire into Russia properly. The Full-Scale Russian Invasion of Ukraine is now well into its third year and there seems no end in sight. However, the long-awaited arrival of retired European F-16s does appear to be in sight. The first Danish F-16 fighter jets are expected to arrive in Ukraine this summer, while the first Norwegian jets will arrive in autumn.

Ukraine’s F-16s & striking Russia

On May 30, the Kyiv Post tweeted that Denmark supports Ukraine’s right to strike military targets in Russia with its weapons. This was stated at a meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council by Danish Foreign Minister Las Løkke Rasmussen. Denmark has pledged to donate 19 F-16s

Pilot flying an F-16

Belgium announced it will supply 30 F-16s to Ukraine between 2024 and 2028, bringing the total number of donated F-16s to around 85. 30 jets is the most F-16s from any country, but Belgium added the condition that they should not be used to strike Russia proper. It is unclear whether Denmark or other Western countries permitting their jets and other weapons to be used against Russia proper will cause the Belgians to reverse its restrictions.

Additionally, according to the Oryx blog, Norway has pledged to supply Ukraine with 22 F-16s (12 operational / 10 for parts), while The Netherlands has pledged 24 F-16s. The Netherlands has also said it respects Ukraine’s right to defend itself by firing at military targets in Russia using its weapons. Norway’s position seems unclear as of May 30.

Related

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While the F-16 has a stellar combat record, they are getting old and will be up against the latest Russian fighter jets and air defense.

More Western countries permit Ukraine to strike Russia

While whether it would be too escalatory to permit Ukraine to fire into Russia proper with Western-supplied weapons has been simmering for some time, the question has suddenly exploded. The catalyst was Russia launching the Kharkiv offensive in May 2030. Currently, Russia is free to bomb and attack Ukraine across the border with almost impunity, as Ukraine’s hands have been mostly tied.

According to the pro-Ukrainian X (formerly Twitter) account Tendar, a stream of Western countries, including Finland, the United Kingdom, France, Denmark, The Netherlands, Poland, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Sweden, Lithuania, and Canada, have stated that Ukraine is free to use their donated weapons to strike Russia proper. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has also urged countries to lift the restriction, according to reporting by Courthouse News Science.

Three F-16s flying in formation.

Germany has said no but appears to be softening or reversing that position. The United States has also said no but appears to be rethinking that policy. Italy and Belgium are currently against the use of their weapons in Russia.

If the United States and Germany do relax their restraints on Ukraine not striking Russia proper (especially with US-supplied ACTAMS missiles), it will highlight yet again just how much Russia’s moves in Ukraine have dramatically backfired.

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