According to reports appearing the Dutch media, two 5th generation F-35 stealth fighters of the Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) are being relocated to Bulgaria following heightened tensions between Ukraine and Russia.
According to the report, the two F-35 fighters will take part in NATO missions in the region to ensure the security of eastern members of the NATO alliance. This will be the first foreign mission of the fighters.
Both F-35s will be based out of Graf Ignatievo Air Base near Plovdiv in central Bulgaria.
Incidentally, Sofia has already ordered 8 F-16 Block 70/72 fighters with the deliveries of the first two of the 4th generation aircrafts expected in the coming months.
According to Dutch Defense Minister Kaisa Olongren, Netherlands intends to launch arms supplies to Ukraine due to “the alarming build-up of Russian troops on the border with Ukraine.” their preparation before a possible conflict with Russia.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has set conditions for NATO and the United States to reduce the former’s presence in Eastern Europe stressing that Moscow “wants NATO troops to be withdrawn from Romania and Bulgaria.”
Responding to him, Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov and Foreign Ministry said “Bulgaria is not a second-hand NATO member” and that “NATO membership is enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic of Bulgaria”.
Earlier this week, a British military transport planes brought a large number of anti-tank missiles to Ukraine.
