Zelenskyi in Denmark for a formal hand over of outdated F16s

Yesterday Zelenskyi first arrived in Aarhus, Denmark. Later same evening he flew to Copenhagen where he today will be speaking to the Danish Parliament and formally express appreciation for the donation of outdated Danish fighter jets.

Its a spectacle. The government will have it that the Danes support Ukraine. This is a truth with interpretations. Many of us dont really give a flying F about Ukraine or their problems caused by sucking up to NATO for 2 decades followed by a Russian invasion.

When the Danish parliament some 10 years ago or so decided to buy into the F35 platform, we were already having issue with welfare and infrastructure. The projection is and was we are going to be missing 17.000 healthcare workers, teachers etc in 2030.

Instead the Danish parliament voted to spent around 5.5 billion dollars on F35s. The argument: Our 40 year old F16s are too old and outdated to protect the country.... enjoy your donation mr Actor.

Well, they are a capability, even if this is to use stand-off weapons.

Given, Russia has failed to gain any air superiority in this terrible war they started, even old Western types used cautiously should be safe and have an impact.

Good decision from Denmark. A country that knows what it is like to be invaded, and occupied and for others to help in its liberation.

Denmark strongly supports the EU's restrictive measures against Russia adopted in response to the illegal annexation of Crimea and its actions to destabilize Ukraine.

This got to be some troll post that does not understand Denmark or the power of F16

Who's taking bets on how long those fighters will last once fielded?

I'm going with less than a month, if that.

a reply to: flice

outdated Danish fighter jets

The F-16 is currently in service with 25 countries around the world, one of them being the USA.

Many of us dont really give a flying F about Ukraine or their problems

In this Europe-wide public-opinion poll, Denmark emerged of one of the strongest supporters of Ukraine against Russia.

originally posted by: Spacespider
Denmark strongly supports the EU's restrictive measures against Russia adopted in response to the illegal annexation of Crimea and its actions to destabilize Ukraine.

This got to be some troll post that does not understand Denmark or the power of F16

Or it understands the people of Crimea never wanted any part of Ukraine especially when Ukraine cut off their freshwater when they joined Russia. What type of government cuts off fresh water to their supposed citizens like Ukraine did to Crimea?

a reply to: MisguidedAngel

Or it understands the people of Crimea never wanted any part of Ukraine.

in the 1991 referendum, 54% of those who voted wanted independence from Russia.

So, just asking, how much are you yanks paying in tax dollars to support this.

Can you stop it?

Or, does your Gov take your dollars to spill into an infinite hole.

I just don't understand.

Kind regards,

Bally

originally posted by: MisguidedAngel
Or it understands the people of Crimea never wanted any part of Ukraine especially when Ukraine cut off their freshwater when they joined Russia. What type of government cuts off fresh water to their supposed citizens like Ukraine did to Crimea?

You are talking rubbish. The majority of the people in Crimea voted to become part of a sovereign Ukraine in 1991. All parts of Ukraine did so.

After the Russian occupation of Crimea in 2014, there has been a process of ethnic cleansing taking place, and transplanting the population with people from Russia. Russia like their ethnic cleansing. Cutting off water to fuel Russia's war machine is a consequence of the war Russia has chosen to prosecute.

a reply to: flice

Russia won't even fly the majority of the warplanes they have at their disposal into Ukrainian airspace for fear of them being blown out of the sky.

F16s might be outdated but they can go up against just about anything Russia can fling at them.

The real problem will be a lack of trained pilots proficient on the F16 and the fact that training them to be so is a rather unrealistic goal given the time period in question.

a reply to: bally001

I just don't understand.

You don't understand why decent, freedom-loving folk might be willing to make some modest sacrifices to help another decent, freedom-loving people stand up against a tyrannous foreign bully?

Right. Got it. Thanks.

a reply to: paraphi

How will Ukraine keep them in the air, train pilots.
Seems a bit beyond their capabilities

Not sure a handful of planes will manage to stay alive for more than a week.

a reply to: bally001

In what nation does public opinion dictate military spending or foreign aid to other nations?

Fact is the people don't decide or hold sway over such things, that's the government's domain.

a reply to: Raggedyman

This is the real crux of the problem.

Poorly i should imagine.

The thing is they are fighting for the very survival of their nation so they might surprise us yet.

Because they are not ready to go quietly into the night, capitulate to Russian scum or anything reminiscent of the sort.

Freedom to Ukraine and down with Putin's war and invasion.

originally posted by: Raggedyman
How will Ukraine keep them in the air, train pilots.
Seems a bit beyond their capabilities

Well, pilots are already being trained in friendly countries. I expect the same is true for the ground crew. Ukraine is not a technologically backward nation. The population is highly educated. Not underestimating the size of the "ask" though.

Maybe wait and see what happens? If anything happens at all.

a reply to: paraphi

Yeah, plenty of time, Russia will be happy to wait a year two so Ukraine can organise the training

I suspect that once Ukraine has a few F-16 in the air, other NATO members will sneak them a fe newer models as well as the weapons to rearm them.

a reply to: Raggedyman

I don't think Russia has a year or two any more than Ukraine does given the current state of the place and regime.

a reply to: EternalShadow

Funny how the comparatively less capable Soviet designs Ukraine is using are still surviving just fine, but the more capable Western fighters (shown in actual testing against actual MiGs flown by trained pilots) are going to just be swatted from the skies like nothing.