Washington, March 11, (dpa/GNA) – Ukraine’s air defence is standing strong as the country fends off a Russian invasion, a high-ranking US defence official has said.
“They have about 56 fighter aircraft remaining on the ground. That is the majority of their fleet,” the official told reporters, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Ukraine’s air force is flying five to 10 sorties per day, while the Russians fly over 200 per day, he added, noting that the Ukrainian side was more focused on defending itself from the ground.
The official described Ukraine’s strategy as “effective” and “creative.”
The US government recently rejected a proposal by Poland to deliver MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine via a US base in Germany. Washington has said the delivery of such fighter jets during the conflict would be highly risky and has questioned the effectiveness of such a move.
“We’re not vetoing another nation who might want to send aircraft to Ukraine. That is a sovereign decision that another nation can make,” the US official said.
The United States continues to “flow security systems to Ukraine,” he said, adding that another shipment was on its way.
GNA