Danish F-16 jets to Ukraine will be delayed by several months: Report

The 6 fighter aircraft, originally expected to be delivered around New Year, will now be delayed by up to 6 months, Danish newspaper Berlingske reports.

Denmark’s donation of F-16 war jets to Ukraine will be delayed by up to six months, Danish newspaper Berlingske reported, citing the country’s Ministry of Defense.

Kyiv has long argued it needs fighter jets to make significant military progress against Russia, which launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway and Belgium have announced they are willing to send U.S.-made F-16s to Kyiv.

“The selection (of pilots, ed. ) is underway, training is about to begin, and around New Year the first group of aircraft will hopefully leave Denmark for Ukraine — around six. Hopefully another eight planes will be sent to Ukraine next year, and the year after five,” the Danish Prime Minister said last August.

However, Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said in October the first jets would be sent by April 2024.

Denmark was one of the first countries to pledge the delivery of the U.S.-made fighter jets to Kyiv and it’s one of the biggest contributors to Ukraine’s war defense.

Ukrainian pilots will begin training on two F-16 fighter jets donated by Norway in Denmark, the Norwegian government announced this week.