Dutch pilots reportedly flying F-16 fighter jets above Kyiv
Former Dutch F-16 pilots are part of a Ukrainian squadron shooting down Russian missiles and drones in Kyiv’s airspace, the French platform Intelligence Online reported. According to the platform, the squadron has been monitoring Kyiv airspace for several weeks and also includes American veterans.
The Ministry of Defense could not confirm nor deny the reports to NOS. A spokesperson did say that the Dutch military no longer has any operational F-16 pilots in the air force.
The Netherlands no longer has any F-16 fighter jets, having replaced them with F-35s. In recent years, the Netherlands has donated 24 F-16s to Ukraine and another 18 of the fighter jets to a training center in Romania, where Ukrainian pilots are trained to fly and maintain them.
Ukrainian air force spokesperson, Yuriy Ignat, responded jokingly to the reports on Facebook, saying that the secret squadron is headed by Tom Cruise, referring to the American actor’s role in Top Gun.
Watch how Russia responds to Ukraine’s F-16 efforts, Ignat added, suggesting that Russia must be behind the story that only Dutch and American veterans could be shooting down Russian drones and missiles. “They still stubbornly do not want to believe in the success of Ukrainian pilots and the development of the aviation component of the Air Force!”
According to NOS, Dutch soldiers are allowed to serve in other militaries. But Dutch citizens can be prosecuted in the Netherlands for any war crimes committed in another military.
