With its castle, medieval tower and river-side beach, the western Ukrainian tourist town of Starokostiantyniv does not seem an obvious target for Russian missile and drone strikes.
But a major airbase across the Sluch river has put the town firmly in Russia’s sights — and locals fear the imminent arrival of F-16 fighter jets in Ukraine will only intensify the bombardments.
“We are super nervous about the arrival of the F-16s. If they park them here, the number of attacks will only go up,” said Olena Shpachenko, a guide at the town’s history museum.
Kyiv says the advanced U.S.-made fighters, some already being transferred to Ukraine, will help it better protect its skies and compete with Russia for air superiority.
Russia has intensified its bombing of Ukrainian air bases — including Starokostiantyniv, home to the Seventh Tactical Aviation Bridge — and pledged to target F-16s.
In a show of force earlier this month, Moscow hit three Ukrainian airfields in as many days.
Ukraine and its Western partners have not given any official indication of where the F-16s will be based. A Western defence industry source said the Starokostiantyniv airfield — equipped with Soviet-era partially underground shelters — is an ideal candidate. Residents, used to the roar of jets even before the war, say tensions in the city are ratcheting up. “The authorities held a large-scale exercise in the event of a nuclear strike. They believe the base is a prime target for Moscow,” said Ms. Shpachenko.
“We pray that the F-16s don’t wind up here,” she said. Even if Ukraine’s air defences intercept Russian missiles targeting the base, “debris will rain down on the city,” she feared.
