US F-16 jets due to arrive in Ukraine 'are no longer relevant', Kyiv military ... trends now

American-made F-16 fighter jets set to arrive in Ukraine this summer are 'no longer relevant' to the war, a senior Ukrainian military official has stated, adding 'shells and rockets' are needed in 2024.

The Ukrainian Air Force is expected to take a delivery of the supersonic multirole fighter aircrafts in July, as pilots have been trained and the war-torn country's airfields prepared.

Before their arrival, the F-16's were thought to be the war-winning weapon that could tilt the balance in the war with Russia in Ukraine's favour.

'Often, we just don't get the weapons systems at the time we need them – they come when they're no longer relevant,' the high-ranking officer told Politico.

'Every weapon has its own right time. F-16s were needed in 2023; they won't be right for 2024.'

 US Congress have blocked a $60billion military aid package which has ultimately led to severe shortages of ammunition.

This in turn has led to Russian President Vladimir Putin's army being able to push back Kyiv's forces along almost the entire 600-mile front line.

This has increased calls for more traditional weapons, such as air defence missiles, howitzers, and shells.

'We need howitzers and shells, hundreds of thousands of shells, and rockets,' the officer said, estimating that Ukraine needed a staggering total of four million shells and two million drones.

The military official reassured that they have communicated to the US that their forces have all the combat experience required, as well as a battlefield understanding of the war - all they need are the West's resources.

It comes just days after Putin warned any F-16 jets donated to Ukraine will be shot down.

'If they supply F-16s, and they are talking about this and are apparently training pilots, this will not change the situation on the battlefield,' Putin told Russian air force pilots during a tour of a

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