Ukraine denies report it intends to get 24 jets from allies

(Reuters) – Ukraine’s air drive on Saturday denied a newspaper report saying it meant to get 24 fighter jets from allies, saying talks about potential deliveries had been nonetheless persevering with, a home media outlet stated.

Spain’s El Pais newspaper, citing air drive spokesperson Yuri Ihnat, stated Ukraine initially wished two squadrons of 12 planes every, ideally Boeing F-16 jets.

However in a press release offered to Ukraine’s Babel outlet on Saturday, Ihnat stated his feedback to a media briefing on Friday had been misinterpreted.

“Ukraine is just on the stage of negotiations concerning plane. Plane fashions and their quantity are at the moment being decided,” he stated.

Ihnat informed the Friday briefing that F-16s is likely to be the best choice for a multi-role fighter to switch the nation’s present fleet of ageing Soviet-era warplanes.

Later within the day, he informed Ukrainian nationwide tv that allied nations didn’t like public hypothesis about jets, Interfax Ukraine information company stated.

“There have been no statements. This stuff have a really unfavorable impression. The knowledge may be very delicate and companions don’t prefer it when wishful considering is offered,” the company cited him as saying.

Deputy White Home nationwide safety adviser Jon Finer on Thursday stated United States can be discussing the thought of supplying jets “very rigorously” with Kyiv and its allies.

Germany’s defence minister this week dominated out the thought of sending jets to Ukraine.

(Reporting by David Ljunggren; Enhancing by Daniel Wallis)