TOKYO, August 28. /TASS/. American F-16 fighter jets, which Western countries have promised to deliver to Ukraine, will not change the course of the conflict and will eventually take the place of war trophies at a victory exhibition in Russia, an expert said in an article published by the North Korean Central News Agency.
"The US and the West are indulging in the illusion of ‘Russia’s strategic defeat’ and trying to turn the tide in the war in Ukraine by supplying fighter jets, but these steps will inevitably face strong retaliation from Russia," the North Korean expert said.
Despite the plans to supply F-16 jets, North Korea believes that it is the US and Western countries that will suffer a "strategic defeat." "Nothing can stop the movement of the brave Russian army and people who have risen to defend justice and peace, and the fate of the US and the West is the abyss of doom," the expert pointed out.
"F-16 fighter jets, on which the US and the West have high hopes, will be presented as the next military trophies at the exhibition of Russia in honor of the victory in the war. It is only a matter of time," the author of the article concludes.
On August 20, the country's president Vladimir Zelensky said he has reached a "breakthrough agreement" with Amsterdam on the delivery of 42 F-16 fighter jets. Denmark also agreed to transfer 19 F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, six of which will arrive before the New Year. The Danish Air Force has about 30 fighter jets that will be decommissioned when the country switches to the more modern F-35 jets. The Dutch Air Force has 42 of such planes.
Commander of US Air Forces in Europe and Africa General James Hecker said earlier at a meeting with a Washington-based group of military observers, in which TASS participates, that it could take up to five years to prepare Ukrainian F-16 squadrons for participation in combat operations. At the same time, according to him, the transfer of aircraft by the West will not radically change the course of hostilities in Kiev's favor.