Ukraine has recently obtained its first F-16 fighter jets to combat the ongoing Russian missile assaults, an American official has confirmed. Seeking these jets for some time, Ukraine emphasized their necessity in repelling the Russian missile attacks. The F-16 is specifically designed for neutralizing enemy air defenses. Initially hesitant about providing advanced weaponry to Ukraine due to fears of escalating the conflict with Russia, Western allies have now started to offer the jets.
The United States has been actively training Ukrainian pilots on operating the F-16 jets, with the first group of pilots already completing their training. During a visit to Washington for the NATO summit, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged NATO allies to lift restrictions on the utilization of Western-provided weapons, specifically allowing Ukraine to target an expanded range of Russian objectives.
Details about the number of jets received in the initial batch or the countries providing them remain undisclosed. The Ukrainian government has not officially verified receiving the jets. In August 2023, U.S. President Joe Biden approved sending these American-made warplanes to Ukraine, following persistent lobbying from Kyiv and internal deliberations within the U.S. government to avoid escalating tensions with Moscow.
Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Norway, all NATO members, have pledged to supply Ukraine with over 60 planes. However, this figure pales in comparison to the estimated Russian jet fighter fleet, which is about ten times larger than the provided support. Ukrainian officials state they require at least 130 F-16 fighter jets to counterbalance Russian air superiority.
Capable of flying at twice the speed of sound and covering a range of more than 2,000 miles (3,200 kilometers), the F-16s are crucial for Ukraine’s defense strategy. The news of the arrival of these jets was first reported by Bloomberg.
