A striking claim has circulated in Ukraine's media space that the country will receive Swedish multirole JAS 39 Gripen fighters. With speculation mounting from all sides, it is worth examining whether this is truly the case.
The statement is attributed to Havryliuk in an interview with the BBC. Yet a closer look at the original source reveals important nuances.
Read more: Sweden Says Ukraine Won't Get Newest Gripen E Until the War Ends, But Older Ones Can Be Delivered Sooner
According to the BBC, "General Havryliuk said that additional deliveries of F-16s, as well as French Mirages — and Swedish Gripens — are expected." He declined, however, to specify numbers or timelines, which is unsurprising given wartime conditions.
When pressed for clarification, journalists listed all the aircraft types mentioned. Havryliuk replied: "Practically, you named the lineup correctly, but I won't detail when, what, or which."
This amounts to an indirect confirmation that Gripen deliveries remain a real possibility. Still, the cautious wording leaves doubts as to whether negotiations are complete.
The lack of timelines raises further questions: does this concern short-term transfers of older variants, or a post-war order for the newest version? Swedish officials have recently suggested that both paths remain open.
In essence, nothing fundamentally new has been revealed. Ukraine's talks with Sweden over Gripens have long been public knowledge, and Stockholm has consistently left the door open — even preserving older airframes as a potential option.
That the statement came from a deputy defense minister does suggest some form of decision or groundwork may exist. Equally, it may simply mean the option has not been ruled out. Absent firm details, further confirmation is needed — but Swedish fighters could well appear in Ukrainian skies without advance notice.
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