There are memes already – Air Force spokesman on Russian fake news about downed F-16s

Monday, 25 December 2023, 09:55

The Air Force of Ukraine has made fun of Russian propaganda reports that the Russian army has supposedly detected and shot down Western F-16 fighter jets in Ukraine.

Source: Yurii Ihnat, spokesman for the Ukrainian Air Force, on air during the national joint 24/7 newscast

Details: A journalist joked that the Russians claimed in their various channels and chats to have destroyed F-16s, but for some reason, they say that they "shot down only four jets", not 10 or 20. 

Ihnat joked that by the end of their interview, there might be more, just like at the end of the day and the end of the year: "They will probably finish 'this hard year' with at least two squadrons [of downed F-16s]..."

Quote: "In fact, their reports are really encouraging: five Ukrainian aircraft are destroyed every day, according to their General Staff reports. And there are already memes about F-16s, saying they have even found them in Ukraine. 

I receive such questions from my colleagues every day: ‘Well, at least tell us off the record, are there any?’ People want to believe that they [F-16s] are in Ukraine. Well, the enemy believed it, and the enemy is ‘destroying’ them."

Details: Ihnat noted that partners had declared their readiness to supply the US-made aircraft, and Ukraine is preparing to receive them: they have to train not only pilots but also engineers and prepare infrastructure. 

Training a pilot is long and expensive, and "it costs tens of millions", Ihnat added.

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