The multifunctional F-16 Western fighter jets have already arrived in Ukraine, as announced by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during the celebration of the anniversary of the creation of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
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Zelenskyy thanked international partners for transferring the advanced fighter jets to Ukraine and highlighted the importance of this reinforcement.
“I am proud of all our pilots who are mastering these aircraft and have already started using them in our country. I thank our team for this achievement. I thank all the partners who effectively support us with the F-16, and the first states that accepted our request for aircraft – Denmark, the Netherlands, the United States – and all our partners – we appreciate your support!” said the president.
During the event, Zelenskyy showcased the flight of a pair of Ukrainian F-16s, although the exact location of the demonstration was not disclosed for security reasons.
He also expressed his hope that the Ukrainian Air Force and all soldiers feel the pride of Ukrainians in the new combat aircraft, hoping that this will contribute to Ukraine’s victory and a just peace.
The transfer of F-16 fighters to the Ukrainian Air Force has been a long process, first officially mentioned in the Vision of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in 2020. At that time, the F-16s were considered along with the Swedish Saab JAS-39E/F Gripen to replace the Soviet-era jets in service, including MiG-29, Su-27, Su-25, and Su-24M.
However, until the beginning of the full-scale invasion, negotiations did not advance significantly. It was only with the escalation of hostilities that Ukraine intensified efforts to secure the transfer of the aircraft from the United States and other countries.
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Source and images: Telegram @V_Zelenskiy_official. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.