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Air Force: Increased Russian use of gliding bombs highlights need for F-16 jets

• 1 min read

Ukraine's Air Force has warned of increasing airstrikes by Russia and renewed the call for allies to supply F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine.

Air Force Spokesperson Yurii Ihnat stated that Russian forces are using high-explosive 500 kilogram bombs that have been modified with wings and elementary guidance systems to enable Russian planes to strike from beyond the range of Ukraine's air defenses.

Speaking on national television, Ihnat said that heavier, specially-designed 1,500 bombs are expected to also be used more by Russia in the future, having been already reportedly dropped on targets in Ukraine's northern Chernihiv Oblast in March.

Air Force Lieutenant-General Mykola Oleschuk stressed on the same day that better combat aircraft, in particular the F-16, is needed to counter the threat of munitions like this.

"This will make it possible to drive enemy aircraft away from our borders and the line of combat," Oleshchuk said, "which will minimize the likelihood of using guided aerial bombs and other air-based weapons."

Modern jets are also understood to provide effective support to troops on the front line as well as provide the capability for future  counteroffensive.

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The Kyiv Independent news desk

We are the news team of the Kyiv Independent. We are here to make sure our readers get quick, essential updates about the events in Ukraine. Feel free to contact us via email with feedback and news alerts.

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 (Updated:  )

The grounding was the first nationwide flight stoppage since January 2023, when an FAA computer system malfunctioned. Before that, the last nationwide grounding followed the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

 (Updated:  )

Local authorities later on Nov. 13 reported that a rescue worker from the Cobra emergency service was killed when a concrete slab fell on him while he was clearing debris from a building damaged in the Russian attack.

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