The Pentagon says Ukraine’s military has received additional aircraft and parts for repairs to get damaged aircraft flying again.

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby did not offer details on which countries provided aircraft but acknowledged new transfers and said Ukraine had more operable fighter aircraft than two weeks ago.

“They have received additional aircraft and aircraft parts to help them get more aircraft in the air,” Mr Kirby told a news briefing without elaborating.

He said Washington had not provided any aircraft to Kyiv.

“We certainly have helped with the trans-shipment of some additional spare parts that have helped with their aircraft needs, but we have not transported whole aircraft,” he said.

Still, that might soon change. 

The U.S. has announced plans to transfer Russian-made helicopters to Ukraine that had once been intended for Afghanistan.

More than 50 days into the war, the skies over Ukraine are still contested in part due to Ukraine’s fleet of aircraft and air defences, including portable, shoulder-fired surface-to-air missiles provided by the U.S. and its allies.

That has allowed Ukraine to wage a much more effective ground campaign than if Russia had air dominance and could defend its invading forces from the skies. 

(Reuters/NAN)