Latest news with #MinistryofDefenseofUkraine
UPI
04-06-2025
- Politics
- UPI
Trump says Putin will retaliate for Ukrainian drone strikes on air force
1 of 8 | Ukraine launched "Operation Spiderweb" on Sunday, targeting Belaya Air Base in Russia's Irkutsk region in Siberia, approximately 3,000 miles from Ukraine, using drones to strike its enemy's strategic bombers. This image, taken from a video released by Ukraine, shows Tu-95 Bear and Tu-22 Backfire bombers, as well as A-50 Mainstay airborne early warning and control aircraft under attack. Screenshot via Ministry of Defense of Ukraine | License Photo June 4 (UPI) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin will respond to the Ukrainian drone strikes that destroyed Russian military aircraft in several locations on Sunday, President Donald Trump said on Wednesday. Trump spoke with Putin by phone for more than an hour on Wednesday and said it was "not a conversation that will lead to immediate peace," CNBC reported the president saying in a Truth Social post. Putin told Trump the Russian military will retaliate against Ukraine for the drone strikes conducted during a long-planned operation dubbed "spiderweb." The drone strikes destroyed more than 40 Russian heavy bombers that are capable of deploying missiles that contain nuclear warheads. Putin said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is disrupting peace talks with such attacks. Putin aide Yury Ushakov said the conversation lasted about 70 minutes and was the fourth between the two world leaders. "It was emphasized that Ukraine tried to derail these talks by carrying out targeted attacks on entirely civilian targets and civilians on direct orders from the Kiev regime," Ushakov said in an online announcement. "These attacks unequivocally constitute an act of terrorism under international law," Ushakov said. "The Kiev regime has essentially degenerated into a terrorist organization." Trump said the United States had no advance knowledge of the drone strikes, Ushakov said, adding that the two presidents agreed to continue working to achieve peace between Ukraine and Russia. Putin and Trump also discussed matters in the Middle East, the conflict between India and Pakistan, and a potential restoration of cooperation between Russia and the United States regarding various global issues. "We also discussed Iran and the fact that time is running out on Iran's decision pertaining to nuclear weapons, which must be made quickly!" Trump said in his Truth Social post. Putin said he could assist with nuclear talks with Iran, which Trump is working to stop from developing nuclear weapons, the BBC reported. Ushakov credited Trump with halting the recent armed conflict between India and Pakistan and said both agreed their phone conversation was "positive and highly productive."
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ukraine receives first Mirage 2000 fighter jets from France
PARIS — Ukraine received the first Mirage 2000 fighter jets promised by France on Thursday, French Armed Forces Minister Sébastien Lecornu said, giving the country its second type of Western aircraft in addition to F-16 jets handed over by allies last year. The Mirage 2000 jets arrived with Ukrainian pilots on board, after several months of training in France, Lecornu said in a post on X. 'They will now participate in defending the skies of Ukraine.' The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine posted an image of a Mirage 2000 taking off in Ukrainian livery and the text 'Already in Ukraine.' A major advantage of flying Western jets is their ability to interface with NATO ordnance such as the Scalp/Storm Shadow air-launched cruise missiles and guided bombs, as well as older air-to-air missiles that many of Ukraine's allies have in stock. The Netherlands, Denmark and Norway delivered F-16s to Ukraine last year, with the Dutch planning to hand over another batch in 2025. French President Macron had announced the plan to delivery French Mirage 2000 jets to Ukraine in June, without providing details at the time. France was planning to deliver a total of six Mirage 2000-5 to Ukraine, according to a budget document published in October on behalf of the National Assembly's defense committee. The first delivery to Ukraine would be a batch of three aircraft, armed with MBDA's Mica air-to-air missiles and Scalp cruise missiles as well as Safran's AASM Hammer guided bombs, French daily La Tribune reported in October. The aircraft is equipped with two 30 mm canons as well as nine hard points. The Mirage 2000-5 is an air-superiority version, and the jets for Ukraine were being upgraded with new equipment for air-to-ground combat and defense against electronic warfare, Lecornu said in October. The Mirage 2000 D in use with the French Air Force is a ground-attack version. The Mirage 2000 first flew in 1978, and an air-defense version entered the French forces in 1984. Dassault Aviation says it has produced 600 of the aircraft, with nearly half of them exported to eight countries including Brazil, the United Arab Emirates, Greece and Taiwan. The jet has a combat mass of 9.5 tons and a maximum take-off weight of 17.5 tons, a maximum speed of more than Mach 2.2 and can remain on station for 2 hours 40 minutes at a distance of 150 nautical miles from its departure base, according to Dassault Aviation. France has been gradually replacing its Mirage fleet with Dassault Aviation's Rafale, with the country planning to retire the Mirage 2000-5 from its forces in 2029 and the Mirage 2000 D in 2035. The operating cost of a French Mirage 2000 is estimated to be around €17,000 per flying hour, according to a French senate report in October. A 2022 report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office found operating costs for the F-16 of $26,927 per flying hour in 2020. Separately, Lecornu said parliament gave final approval to the French 2025 budget, with spending on defense increasing to €50.5 billion, an increase of €3.3 billion from last year. Major deliveries to the armed forces this year will include 14 Rafale jets, as well as 308 vehicles in the Scorpion program and lots of Aster air-defense missiles. 'Essential for our rearmament, this increased budget will enable us to continue modernizing our nuclear deterrent, improve the pay of our servicemen and women, and place the first orders for the new-generation aircraft carrier,' Lecornu said in a post on X.
