kraine’s refusal from military-technical co-operation with Russia and its refocusing on the West will destroy the Ukrainian economy, Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Air Force Lieutenant General Viktor Bondarev said.
“I think that refusing from military-technical co-operation, Ukraine creates trouble first of all to itself - it will cause the collapse of its economy. I think that some time will pass and its desire to build relationship with the West will have very negative consequences - as nobody but Russia needs them [Ukrainians],” Bondarev said.
The commander said that the West has its “own” competition and long-established ties. “In any case, this will first of all affect the Ukrainian people.”
Answering a question about the fate of the project for building the Russian-Ukrainian military-transport plane Antonov An-70, Bodarev said: “We will manage very well without An-70. There is absolutely no tragedy for us that we have not completed the plane. If they want to finish on it - so be it.”
Bondarev said that Russia has its own designs. “The Ilyushin Il-476 plane will soon be released, and we also are working on the Il-112 light military-transport plane.