Air Force spokesman: many countries will take part in training our pilots on the F-16

"We have a whole coalition of countries. Each of them will be responsible for a certain direction, depending on where there is a stronger base for pilots, for aviation engineers or command officers. A coalition of countries that will prepare our pilots, engineers and so on", he said.

Ihnat noted that he was particularly pleased with the presence of the United States in this coalition, which has an excellent training base. He also mentioned Romania, where a training center for Ukrainian pilots on F-16 aircraft is being built.

"It's good because it's close to our borders, and Poland, which has such planes in its armed forces, is also close", he said.

He noted that training centers would also be established in Ukraine, although he noted that this would take time, especially in the conditions of a defensive war with Russia.

Ihnat emphasized that the Ukrainian Air Force works day in and day out and thanked the pilots for their heroic efforts, who have something to be proud of while fighting a much stronger enemy. "Our air force uses foreign weapons. We know that our partners gave us cruise missiles, we have guided air bombs that the airmen use quite effectively," he said.

Politico reported on Friday that Ukrainian pilots are to begin training on F-16 fighters at the US Air National Guard base in Arizona this week.

US Defense Minister Lloyd Austin announced the creation of several coalitions of countries to train Ukrainian pilots and crews in the operation and maintenance of the F-16, led by the US, Denmark and the Netherlands.

Denmark and the Netherlands were the first countries to announce the transfer of F-16 aircraft to Ukraine in August. Later, Belgian Defense Minister Ludivine Dedonder also announced that her country would transfer these fighters to Ukraine from 2025.

According to the head of the Pentagon, F-16s may appear in Ukraine no earlier than spring 2024.