Zelensky's trip: Ukraine's president is visiting the frontline region of Kherson, southern Ukraine - months after parts of it were freed from Russian occupation. But F-16s can fly for longer, are more versatile, possess integrated weapons systems and have dramatically better long range and radar capability, therefore providing improved early warning.ĬNN's Bianca Nobilo contributed reporting to this post. MiGs can be used for short combat missions, they can deploy weaponry and shoot down Russian aircraft with good maneuverability at short range. Zelensky’s sought-after F-16s are digital. MiG-29s are analog aircraft, using older flight technology. Which might be why it is F-16s – and not MiGs – that are in fact at the top of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s wish list. On the question of a military advantage, Russia has been dismissive, claiming the gift of more Soviet-era MiGs to Ukraine will not alter the course of the conflict. This comes days after the country pledged 13 Mig-29 fighter jets to Ukraine, along with Poland which pledged four. Slovakia has handed four of its Soviet-era MiG-29 fighter jets over to Ukraine, the country’s Defense Minister Jaro Nad said in a Facebook post on Thursday. He met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and announced Spain would bump its commitment to 10 fighting vehicles.Ī MiG-29 supersonic fighter of the Slovak army pictured on April 14, 2005, in Sliac, Slovakia. Some background: Robles initially told Spain's parliament last month that the country would send six Leopard tanks to Ukraine.Ī day later, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez made a surprise visit to Kyiv on the anniversary of Russia’s invasion. The first group of Ukrainian troops to learn how to operate the Spanish tanks are wrapping up training at a military base in northern Spain, the Defense Ministry announced last week. Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles visited the factory Thursday and said four more Leopard tanks due for Ukraine will arrive there soon for inspection and testing. The six Leopard 2A4 tanks have been undergoing final checks at a weapons factory near Seville in southern Spain, the statement said. Spain is expected to send its first shipment of modern battle tanks to Ukraine by the end of next week, once officials have completed final firing tests in the field, the Spanish Defense Ministry said in a statement Thursday. (Maria Jose Lopez/Europa Press/Getty Images) The Minister of Defense, Margarita Robles, third left, visits the Santa Barbara Sistemas plant in Seville, Spain, on March 23. Sweden's parliament approved its own bid to join NATO Wednesday, but the Swedish government still awaits Turkey and Hungary's go-ahead.ĬNN's Yusuf Gezer, Amy Cassidy and Jack Guy contributed to this report. On Thursday, Finland’s President Sauli Niinistö signed legislation that approves the country’s bid to join NATO. The move was a setback for Moscow, with the war triggering the kind of NATO enlargement that Russia invaded Ukraine to prevent.įinland and Sweden’s applications were welcomed by almost all NATO leaders, but under the alliance's rules, just one member state can veto a new applicant’s membership.įinland's bid took a major step forward when Turkey and Hungary, which had to that point been the key holdouts, agreed to start the process of ratifying Finland's membership last week. Some context: Finland and Sweden announced their intention to join NATO in May 2022, after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine caused the Nordic countries to abandon their long-held non-aligned status. Russia has repeatedly asserted Helsinki's decision will be counterproductive, and that it has already negatively impacted Russian-Finnish relations. Zakharova said the move would only exacerbate the military and political situation in Europe. “We understand that the United States of America and a number of its allies are behind this political campaign," she added, without providing evidence. She claimed the decision was taken “under the influence of an unprecedented anti-Russian media campaign” and without proper public debate. “As for Finland's decision to join NATO, it can hardly be considered balanced,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said during a briefing in Moscow. The Russian Foreign Ministry again condemned Finland’s bid to join NATO, calling it “unbalanced" and "counterproductive" in comments reported by state news agency RIA Novosti Thursday. Sauli Niinistö, Finland's president, signs a domestic law which ratifies NATO treaties in Helsinki, Finland, on March 23.
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