Ex-US Air Force Colonel Reveals What Will Help Defeat Russia, End Ukraine War

A former official of the Air Force shared his views on how Ukraine could defeat Russia and end the war, which has been ongoing for more than 14 months.

In an interview with Kyiv Post, retired Air Force Col. Jeff Fischer said providing Ukraine with U.S.-made fighter jets could heavily turn the tide of the war on the Ukrainian side.

"I have come to the conclusion that F-16s or a fourth-generation multi-role fighter is critical for Ukraine, and there's a simple reason why," Fischer said.

"If you can dominate in the battle space and in the air domain, we can get away from this air parity, which exists right now," he added.

Fischer downplayed the assessment of Defense Undersecretary Colin Kahl that it would take up to 18 months to train Ukrainian pilots on using F-16s.

The retired colonel argued that it would only take two to six months for Ukrainian pilots who have already trained and skilled with basic combat maneuvers and have flown in combat to learn how to use the American fighter jets.

Fischer added that Ukraine would easily find people who could maintain and provide logistical support for F-16s, noting that there were 4,500 fighter jets manufactured, and the U.S. is still producing them.

On Thursday, Ukraine's Foreign Affairs Minister Dmytro Kuleba claimed that supplying them with F-16 was not tantamount to provoking Russia and further escalating the war.

Kuleba argued that the U.S. combat jets would help Ukraine "deter Russia," Kyiv Independent reported.

But Pentagon insisted that providing Ukraine with modern fighter jets was not their priority.

At a hearing called by the House Armed Services Committee on Wednesday, Gen. Christopher Cavoli, the head of U.S. European Command, and Celeste Wallander, defense assistant secretary for International Security Affairs, said combat aircraft were not included in Ukraine's most urgent needs in its fight against Russia.

"Western modern aircraft is about eighth on the list," Wallander said, Air & Space Forces Magazine reported.

"And so we have focused with resources on the highest priority capabilities, and that has been air defense, artillery, and armor," she added.

Cavoli claimed Ukraine doesn't need modern combat aircraft to control their country's airspace, saying "they've been doing that very effectively with ground-based air defense."

The two Pentagon officials also noted that Soviet-era fighter jets were still helpful to Ukraine's war effort since their pilots were trained to use those aircraft.

President Joe Biden had already turned down the idea of supplying F-16 jets to Ukraine last January.