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15 WORLD Training for Ukrainian pilots had already begun in Poland and some other countries maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 24 MAY 2023 THE training of Ukrainian pilots to fly F-16 jets has begun in Po- land, EU foreign policy chief Jo- sep Borrell said on Tuesday. The move comes after US President Joe Biden last week gave the go-ahead for Ukrain- ian pilots to be trained on the American-made jets that Ukraine says it needs to fight off Russia's invasion. "I am happy that finally the training of the pilots for the F-16 has started in several countries. It will take time, but the sooner the better," Borrell said at a meeting of EU defense ministers in Brussels. "For example in Poland," he said when asked to specify where it had begun. Poland, a neigh- bor to Ukraine and one of its staunchest supporters, has said for months it is ready to train Ukrainian pilots on the jets. Dutch Defense Minister Kaj- sa Ollongren said at the meet- ing that a coalition of Kyiv's western European backers was looking to start training Ukrainian pilots on F-16 fight- er jets "as soon as possible." Ollongren said training would be the "first step" towards the eventual supply of Western air- craft to Kyiv. Germany said it was examin- ing how it could be involved, but warned it had only "ex- tremely limited" possibilities to contribute as it does not pos- sess F-16 jets. Defense Minis- ter Boris Pistorius said Berlin's involvement "is not relevant because we simply do not have F-16 aircraft and could not help with pilot training." Russia battling alleged incur- sion in Belgorod The governor of Russia's Bel- gorod region said on Tuesday that drones targeting the area had been shot down as fighting continued near the Ukrainian border for a second day. Clashes broke out on Mon- day after Russia reported an incursion by what they called a group of "saboteurs" from Ukraine. The alleged raid is the largest attack of its kind since Russia invaded Ukraine in Feb- ruary 2022. Belgorod Governor Vy- acheslav Gladkov said a "coun- ter-terrorism operation" was still underway, with the De- fense Ministry and law en- forcement agencies continuing "to clean up" the territory on the border with Ukraine. He also said earlier on Tel- egram that several drones struck houses and a govern- ment building in the region overnight but did not result in casualties or deaths. He added that it was too ear- ly for residents who had been evacuated to return home: "I now appeal to the residents of the Graivoron district, who ... temporarily left their homes, it is not possible to return yet." Gladkov said one woman died during the evacuation on Monday. Two people were re- portedly wounded but Russian security forces have not been able to reach them. Meanwhile, Russian investi- gators said they had opened a terrorism investigation after what they said was a cross-bor- der attack mounted by Ukrain- ian armed groups. However, a Ukrainian presi- dential adviser said on Twitter that the situation "has nothing to do with" the Ukrainian gov- ernment. Ukrainian military intelli- gence said two armed Russian opposition groups, the Liberty of Russia Legion and the Rus- sian Volunteer Corps, both consisting of Russian citizens, were responsible for the attack. The details of the incident could not be independently verified. IMF mission starts review of Ukraine's new loan program An International Monetary Fund mission started work on Tuesday on the first review of a $15.6 billion (€14.5 billion) loan program that it approved in March, the Ukrainian Fi- nance Ministry said. The IMF's four-year pro- gram for Ukraine is part of a $115-billion global package to support the country's economy as it battles Russia's full-scale invasion. The ministry said in a state- ment that Ukraine's economic performance, the situation in the energy sector, and efforts to ensure the rule of law, in- crease transparency and fight corruption would be discussed during meetings in Vienna. To ensure continued IMF support, Ukraine must meet a number of conditions, includ- ing steps to boost tax revenue, maintain exchange rate stabil- ity, preserve central bank in- dependence, and strengthen anti-corruption efforts. Zelenskyy visits front line to congratulate marines Ukrainian President Volody- myr Zelenskyy said he visited front-line troops to congrat- ulate them on the Day of the Ukrainian Marines. Zelenskyy posted photos on- line showing himself present- ing awards and posing with a group of marines in a dimly lit location. "Our defenders. Frontline. Today I am here to congrat- ulate our warriors on the Day of the Ukrainian Marines," he wrote on the Telegram mes- saging app. Zelenskyy's office said that he visited the Donetsk front line in eastern Ukraine. "On his return from a foreign visit, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited the front-line positions of the Ukrainian armed forces in the Vuhledar-Maryinka defense line in the Donetsk region," the presidency said in a statement. Ukraine says it still holds part of Bakhmut Ukrainian forces still control the southwestern edge of the city of Bakhmut and fighting in the city itself has decreased, Deputy Ukrainian Defense Minister Hanna Maliar said. She wrote on the Telegram messaging app that Ukrainian forces had made some progress "on the flanks to the north and south of Bakhmut" and that Russian forces, which say they have taken the city itself, were continuing to clear areas they control. The head of Russia's Wag- ner mercenary group said on Sunday that his forces had captured all the territory in Bakhmut and would leave the city by 1 June. Ukraine pilots begin training on F-16 fighter jets in Poland, EU says