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BULGARIA MILITARY
Last week, Russian bloggers and media outlets started spreading rumors on their channels that four F-16 fighter jets had been flying over Odessa, allegedly having taken off from Romanian airfields. The Ministry of National Defense of Romania quickly stepped in to firmly deny these claims, stating that no F-16s had taken off from their airports to operate in Ukrainian airspace.
“We’re alerting you to a new disinformation attempt by propaganda channels linked to the Russian Federation, concerning a series of flights reportedly conducted last week by F-16 aircraft in Ukrainian airspace, specifically in the Odesa region. Unidentified ‘sources’ on the Russian Telegram platform are falsely claiming that the F-16s are taking off from Romanian airfields,” the Ministry of National Defense declared in a statement.
The Romanian Ministry of Defense has made it clear that the “imaginary sources of Russian propaganda are spreading false information.” They assure that the Romanian Air Force’s F-16 jets only perform training and air policing missions within national airspace and strictly adhere to international law.
“This disinformation likely stems from the context of the recent NATO summit in Washington, where significant decisions were made to support Ukraine’s defense against Russia’s illegal and unjustified aggression,” the MoD stated. Similar issues were discussed on an anti-disinformation platform about a month ago.
The Ministry of Defense also noted, “Since Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, Romania, as a NATO member, has taken steps to bolster its defense and deterrence measures. These actions are strictly defensive, proportional to potential threats, and in full compliance with international law.”
“Following the illegal annexation of Crimea by Russia in 2014, Romanian Air Force aircraft have been operating under NATO’s Air Policing and Enhanced Air Policing missions. They team up with partner combat aircraft to ensure the skies remain secure, executing these missions strictly within Romanian airspace to boost reaction capabilities and deter any potential threats,” shared the ministry.
The Romanian Ministry of Defense further emphasized that “NATO’s objective is to ensure the safety of its 32 member states and over 1 billion citizens.”
“Every decision at the NATO level is defensive, aimed at safeguarding member countries and preventing any aggression against Allied territories. The Ministry of National Defense is committed to promptly addressing any attempts to mislead the public with false information. Citizens need to trust that the information they receive is accurate, which is only achievable with information from official sources,” the Ministry of Defense stated.
What’s happening? According to Russian media NTV, four F-16 fighter jets provided by the West to the Ukrainian armed forces have already reached the Odesa region. These jets are currently conducting test flights there. Various media sources have confirmed this information, citing their own reports.
Previously, it was stated that these flights originate from a Romanian base, with the planes returning to Romania post-flight. There’s also talk of deploying the F-16s for combat missions over Crimea. The strategy here is that, since the region is surrounded by water, a rescue operation would be simpler in case a plane goes down.
Some military and political analysts are worried about the potential consequences if a downed F-16 falls into Russian hands.
Gallagher Fenwick, an expert in international affairs, commented, “Retaining the F-16s will have two major impacts. Firstly, their display in Red Square could be quite embarrassing. More concerning is that it allows for detailed study.”
However, it seems unlikely that Kyiv will receive a large number of F-16s soon. Although Western allies have promised to deliver 20 units by year’s end, Russian media, including NTV, point to serious logistical challenges, such as insufficient airstrips and shelters for the aircraft.
Western media had earlier reported that the Ukrainian Air Force might receive six of these aircraft initially, with a total of 20 fighters expected by the end of the year.