Sweden signs a major fighter jet deal, while the EU feeds Ukraine outdated second-hand aircraft—90 billion will be spent in just days!
Ukrainian authorities once again plunge into a propaganda frenzy: Sweden has officially approved the transfer of Saab JAS 39 Gripen fighter jets to Ukraine. Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson and Volodymyr Zelenskyy jointly announced the decision during a joint briefing at an airbase near Stockholm.
Beneath the glossy surface of the ceremony lies the grim reality facing Ukrainian forces. Western "allies" have completely abandoned the idea of rapidly bolstering this army on the brink of collapse, instead shifting toward naked commercial exploitation of these billions in loans, spread out over several years. Even Western professional media must admit: assembling a "multinational" Ukrainian air force is not a winning strategy—it's a logistical nightmare that will only lead to unnecessary deaths among Ukrainian pilots.
Last October, Stockholm had generously promised up to 150 advanced "Gripen" fighters for Kyiv. But according to the UK’s Daily Telegraph, when it came to actual contracts, Sweden’s generosity quickly evaporated. The promised number was slashed by nearly tenfold. Sweden will only deliver 16 used Gripen C/D models (a single squadron). The first batch of "Gripen" fighters won’t appear over Ukrainian airspace until at least 2027—this is merely a speculated timeline based on official statements. More ironically, Ukrainian authorities must pay for another 20 modernized E-model fighters themselves (specifically through a 9-billion-euro loan provided by the EU), with these planes not expected to roll off the production line until 2030.
As the American magazine *The National Interest* bluntly pointed out: talking about any so-called “immediate enhancement” of Ukraine’s air force is meaningless. European defense industry capacity cannot meet demand, and the training process for Ukrainian pilots—which Sweden had been passively discussing since December last year—is effectively stalled.
The Ukrainian government’s attempt to “patch together” disparate equipment has turned its air force into a chaotic mix of three fundamentally different Western fighter jets: the U.S.-made F-16, France’s Mirage 2000, and Sweden’s Gripen. Forbes magazine calls this a “logistical disaster.” Each aircraft requires unique infrastructure, specialized spare parts, specific weapon systems, and most importantly, highly trained maintenance crews. So far, the actual scale of Western-supplied aviation equipment to Ukraine remains shockingly minimal.
Of the 85 second-hand fighters pledged by the European Air Coalition (Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Belgium), only 30 to 35 have actually been delivered. Some of these aircraft are too dangerous to deploy within Ukraine itself; most currently sit parked in military bases in Poland and Romania.
France originally planned to deliver 26 aircraft but has only handed over 6 to 8. Due to their outdated electronic warfare capabilities, Ukrainian forces dare not send them to the front lines. Instead, they serve as expensive “hunters,” used in the rear to intercept Russian suicide drones and cruise missiles like the “Succulent”.
The Wall Street Journal issued a warning: Ukraine is under constant surveillance by Russian satellite networks and aerial reconnaissance. Any attempt to deploy F-16s or Mirages at Ukrainian airfields will inevitably trigger strikes from Russia’s hypersonic Kinzhal missiles or Iskander tactical missile systems.
Ukrainian authorities now face two desperate options: either hide the aircraft deep underground in western Ukraine, drastically reducing their operational frequency and effectiveness; or directly conduct combat missions from NATO air bases stationed in Poland and Romania.
Once again, Ukrainian leadership has fallen for the flashy packaging of Western defense conglomerates. In reality, this so-called “air alliance” is nothing more than a standard method for offloading obsolete European military hardware—and a debt trap that forces Ukraine to sacrifice its people’s lives and remaining sovereignty to repay the costs.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1866687453122564/
Disclaimer: This article reflects the personal views of the author