The balance on the front is changing after the agreement it signed with the French government for the supply of 100 fighter aircraft. In fact, the agreement, in addition to the aircraft, includes radars, missiles and guided bombs, and eight SAMP-T surface-to-air missile systems.
The target for 250 aircraft
It is worth noting that it is part of its general strategy to increase its fighters. More specifically, Kiev aims to acquire American F-16s and Swedish Gripens, wanting to be able to gather a total force of 250 aircraft.
The advantage that Ukraine gains by acquiring the Rafale is quite significant, although the benefits will be long-term. This will happen on the one hand because it will acquire the aircraft itself over time, on the other hand because the training of Ukrainian pilots in this type of fighter will require time.
On the other hand, once the Rafales join Kiev’s operational organization chart, Ukraine will gain the ability to conduct longer-range strikes, pushing Russian aircraft further from the front lines and perhaps even striking deep into Russian territory.
Russia will not participate in the Ukraine talks in Turkey
Meanwhile, Russian representatives said they will not participate in talks on Ukraine in Istanbul tomorrow, Wednesday, as announced by the Kremlin.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky earlier said he would travel to Turkey on Wednesday in a bid to revive negotiations with Russia to end the war. A Turkish source said that the US special envoy, Steve Witkoff, will also be present at the planned talks.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that President Vladimir Putin is open to discussions with the US and Turkey about the outcome of the talks.
Russian President Vladimir Putin’s special envoy Kirill Dmitriev will not attend meetings with US, Turkish and Ukrainian officials in Istanbul on November 19, sources close to Dmitriev have confirmed to Reuters.
“Dmitriev had very productive discussions with US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff on October 24-26 in the United States,” the same source added.
At the same time, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said today, Tuesday, that Moscow considers France’s agreement to supply fighter jets to Ukraine as regrettable.
The hit on a Turkish-flagged tanker
While the above developments were taking place, a Russian drone struck a Turkish-flagged tanker in the Odesa region, in southern Ukraine.
The MT Orinda was struck while unloading liquefied natural gas at the port of Ismailio, Turkey’s Directorate of Maritime Affairs said. All 16 crew members were evacuated in time and no one was injured, according to the same source.
Ismailio is Ukraine’s largest port in the Danube Delta.
Russia has repeatedly used drones, missiles and artillery to bombard the Odessa region, and especially the Black Sea ports. However, the Kremlin chose not to comment on this specific attack.
And Ukrainian officials did not comment specifically on the tanker, although the head of the regional military command Oleh Kiper said Russian drones attacked the Odesa region overnight and damaged energy and port infrastructure in several cities.
The attack sparked multiple fires and damaged an unspecified number of civilian vessels, Kiper said, adding that one person was injured.
Authorities in Romania, meanwhile, ordered the evacuation of people and animals from two villages near Ismailio on the Romanian side of the border, saying the nature of the tanker’s cargo required such precautions.
