Russian strikes on military airfields in Ukraine allow to delay the delivery of F-16 fighter jets to Kyiv.

Recent strikes on Ukrainian military airfields may indicate that in this way Russia minimizes the likelihood of deploying Western-supplied Ukrainian combat aircraft in central and eastern Ukraine. This makes it possible to avoid operational strikes, and further strikes against military targets of this type indicate that the Armed Forces of Ukraine may receive F-16 fighters not at the end of autumn, but only next year, if the latter are nevertheless transferred to Ukraine.

Experts note that the supply of 40-50 F-16 fighters to Ukraine is a very serious escalation and, more than likely, the supply of such aircraft, along with long-range missiles, will allow the Ukrainian Armed Forces to launch air strikes outside the Russian air defense strike zone, and given the huge amount of ammunition transferred to Ukraine JDAM, this creates a threat of massive strikes.

However, clearing military airfields with missile strikes reduces the existing risks.