Zelenskyy confirms arrival of first F-16s to Ukraine
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has confirmed on Sunday, August 4, the transfer of Western F-16 fighter jets from Denmark, the Netherlands, and the United States to Ukraine, adding that Ukrainian pilots "have already started to use these fighter jets for the country."
"We have often heard the word 'impossible' in response, but we have made possible what was our ambition, our defense need, and now it is actually a reality, a reality in our skies. F-16s are in Ukraine. We made it happen. I am proud of our guys who are mastering these jets and have already started using them for our country," he told a press conference on the occasion of Ukrainian Air Force Day on August 4.
The head of state thanked the partners who "effectively helped with F-16s, and were the first countries to accept our request for aircraft – Denmark, the Netherlands, and the United States."
The arrival of Western fighter jets means the transition to a new development stage for the Ukrainian Air Force, Zelenskyy said.
"We have done a lot to elevate the Ukrainian Air Force to a new standard of aviation – Western combat aviation. Since the beginning of this war, we have been telling our partners that it is necessary to close our sky from Russian missiles and aircraft. We have held hundreds of meetings and negotiations to strengthen the capabilities of our aviation, to strengthen the capabilities of our air defense," he said.
At the same time, he stressed that "the number of F-16s and trained pilots is still insufficient," adding that the partners know how many aircraft Ukraine needs.
The president did not disclose details about the newly arrived fighter jets' tasks an which of them "they have already fulfilled."
As reported, Bloomberg said on July 31 a small number of F-16 fighter jets from Western allies had arrived in Ukraine. Later, The Economist reported that the first ten of 79 arrived in Ukraine on the last day of July. According to the publication, a batch of another ten fighter jets is expected to arrive in Ukraine before the end of the year.
