Ukraine-operated French jets would be quickly shot down, Rostec warns
Rostec, the defense conglomerate, has stated that the Mirage 2000 is “significantly inferior” to contemporary Russian warplanes. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
The Mirage 2000 fighter jets delivered to Ukraine by France will be quickly destroyed by Russian forces if deployed near the front lines, according to the defense conglomerate Rostec.
On Thursday, French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu announced that Ukraine received its first batch of fourth generation Mirage 2000-5 aircraft, promised by President Emmanuel Macron last summer. Ukrainian pilots, who have trained in France, will be operating the jets, Lecornu noted.
In response to inquiries from Tass news agency regarding the potential usage of these French warplanes, a Rostec representative stated, “if attempts to deploy them for dogfights or airstrikes near the front line are made, they will be promptly shot down.” They also commented on the aircraft's capabilities, declaring that the Mirage 2000 is “an obsolete aircraft that is significantly inferior to modern Russian fighter jets.”
Similar to the US-designed F-16s that were supplied to Ukraine by its Western allies in August, the French aircraft can only be utilized by Ukraine in the “deep rear,” the Rostec representative insisted. “As a fighter jet, the F-16 has turned out to be much worse than expected,” they emphasized.
The anticipated impact of the US-designed F-16s on the battlefield has not materialized, with Ukraine losing its first F-16 on its initial mission in early September 2024. A Ukrainian MP later stated that the aircraft was mistakenly shot down by a Patriot air defense system, which was also provided by Western nations. Since then, reports of F-16 combat operations have been scarce.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov has welcomed the arrival of the Mirage 2000s alongside additional F-16s from the Netherlands, asserting that “the Ukrainian sky is becoming more secure.” President Vladimir Zelensky thanked Macron for supplying the jets, expressing appreciation on X by stating, “France’s president keeps his word, and we appreciate it.”
Moscow has consistently warned that the supply of weapons to Ukraine by the US and EU states will not thwart Russia’s military objectives but will only extend the conflict and heighten the risk of direct confrontation with NATO.
Rohan Mehta for TROIB News
On Thursday, French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu announced that Ukraine received its first batch of fourth generation Mirage 2000-5 aircraft, promised by President Emmanuel Macron last summer. Ukrainian pilots, who have trained in France, will be operating the jets, Lecornu noted.
In response to inquiries from Tass news agency regarding the potential usage of these French warplanes, a Rostec representative stated, “if attempts to deploy them for dogfights or airstrikes near the front line are made, they will be promptly shot down.” They also commented on the aircraft's capabilities, declaring that the Mirage 2000 is “an obsolete aircraft that is significantly inferior to modern Russian fighter jets.”
Similar to the US-designed F-16s that were supplied to Ukraine by its Western allies in August, the French aircraft can only be utilized by Ukraine in the “deep rear,” the Rostec representative insisted. “As a fighter jet, the F-16 has turned out to be much worse than expected,” they emphasized.
The anticipated impact of the US-designed F-16s on the battlefield has not materialized, with Ukraine losing its first F-16 on its initial mission in early September 2024. A Ukrainian MP later stated that the aircraft was mistakenly shot down by a Patriot air defense system, which was also provided by Western nations. Since then, reports of F-16 combat operations have been scarce.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov has welcomed the arrival of the Mirage 2000s alongside additional F-16s from the Netherlands, asserting that “the Ukrainian sky is becoming more secure.” President Vladimir Zelensky thanked Macron for supplying the jets, expressing appreciation on X by stating, “France’s president keeps his word, and we appreciate it.”
Moscow has consistently warned that the supply of weapons to Ukraine by the US and EU states will not thwart Russia’s military objectives but will only extend the conflict and heighten the risk of direct confrontation with NATO.
Rohan Mehta for TROIB News
