President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday (24) paid tribute to the “free people” of Ukraine on the occasion of Ukrainian Independence Day. Kiev also announced actions in Crimea. After Denmark, Norway declared that it would donate 16 F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, according to Norwegian media.
RFI
“The great people of great Ukraine are celebrating a great day today: Independence Day! The celebration of a free people. The celebration of strong people. The celebration of dignified people. The celebration of equal people,” Zelensky said in a statement.
The Ukrainian president thanked the soldiers, their families, teachers, doctors, nurses and everyone who helps in the “defense of Ukraine” against Russian aggression.
“Everyone who survived the occupation is important,” he said. Almost 20% of Ukrainian territory is under Russian control, despite Kiev’s attempts to expel Moscow’s troops from the eastern and southern regions of the country, in particular with a counter-offensive that began in June.
In a statement, the commander of the Ukrainian army, Valeri Zaluzhny, praised Ukraine, “a country of proud, heroic and courageous people”.
The director of the Ukrainian military intelligence service, Kyrylo Budanov, recalled on Telegram that the nation has a “common goal, which is to win, and a common dream, to build an independent, peaceful, secure and prosperous future”.
The head of the country’s security forces, Vasyl Maliuk, said that Ukraine “stands on its own feet” despite the Russian invasion, which began in February 2022.
Operations in Crimea
Ukraine also said that it had carried out a commando operation in Crimea, a peninsula annexed by Russia in 2014 and considered by the Kremlin to be a stronghold, in which it killed Russian soldiers and raised the Ukrainian flag.
“The enemy suffered losses among its men, and equipment was destroyed. And the national flag waved again in Ukrainian Crimea,” Ukrainian military intelligence said on Telegram.
The same source specified that special forces units landed in the towns of Olenivka and Mayak, in the west of the peninsula, before leaving.
“All the objectives and tasks have been fulfilled. At the end of the special operation, the Ukrainian defenders left the site without losses,” added the same source. The day before, the Ukrainian secret service took responsibility for destroying a missile system in the same area.
Ukraine has promised to liberate all its territory occupied by Russia since the February 2022 invasion, as well as Crimea, annexed in 2014.
Norwegian fighter jets
Norway will donate F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, three Norwegian media outlets said on Thursday, without citing a source, which would make the Scandinavian kingdom the third country to commit to delivering such aircraft to Kiev.
Neither the number nor the possible delivery date of these planes were specified.
Contacted by the AFP news agency, the Norwegian Defense Ministry, through a spokesman, would “neither confirm nor deny” the information. The news emerged during a surprise visit by Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre to Kiev on Ukrainian Independence Day.
Oslo has promised Iris-T anti-aircraft missiles, demining equipment and aid of 1.5 billion kroner (€130 million) for the purchase of gas and electricity this winter, but nothing has been said at this stage about the possible supply of fighter jets.
Of the 57 Norwegian F-16s officially put up for sale, 32 have already been sold to Romania and another 12 have been sold to the American private group Draken International, but have not yet been delivered.
If the reports from NRK and TV2 and the Aftenposten newspaper are confirmed, Norway would become the third country to commit to supplying F-16s to Ukraine, after the Netherlands and Denmark.
Copenhagen has promised 19 planes, while The Hague is expected to supply 42, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
(With AFP)