Kyiv: Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov said on Monday that Ukrainian pilots would begin training on US-made F-16 fighter jets in August.
Last Friday, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said that F-16 training for Ukrainian pilots would begin in the coming weeks, adding that the United States was currently working with its European allies to determine the location and dates of the training.
In an interview with CNN, Reznikov said that the training would last at least six months and would likely take place in Denmark and the Netherlands, as well as the United Kingdom or Poland.
The minister added that by the spring of 2024, pilots will be able to fly F-16s in Ukrainian skies.
He also said that the training could be divided between countries, but the final plans are still being finalized.
In mid-July, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that the delivery of F-16 fighters to Ukraine would lead to a further escalation of the Ukraine conflict because the jets have a modification that makes them nuclear-capable.
