Ukraine receives first F-16 fighter jets

Ukraine has acquired its first American-made F-16 fighter jets, President Volodymyr Zelensky has stated.

“F-16 in Ukraine. We did it,” President Zelensky stated at a ceremony at a secret location, flanked by the jets.

He thanked Denmark, the Netherlands and the US specifically for serving to ship the jets following 18 months of ready – although added that many extra have been wanted.

Their arrival marks a vital milestone in boosting the capabilities of Ukraine’s air drive, which largely depends on previous Soviet-era jets.

Mr Zelensky didn’t specify what number of plane had arrived in Ukraine – or whether or not they had all been despatched by the three Nato nations he talked about.

Some 65 F-16s have additionally been pledged by Nato nations together with Belgium and Norway.

The UK doesn’t have any F-16s in its air drive, although it’s supplying long-range Storm Shadow missiles which may be fitted to the jets.

For Mr Zelensky, they can not come a second too quickly, after an 18-month wait.

The F-16s will work alongside a restricted variety of Western-supplied surface-to-air missile techniques corresponding to Patriot and NASAMS that are already on the bottom.

This yr Ukraine has been beneath enormous menace from Russian glide bombs – bombs fitted with pop-out wing kits and steerage modules to ship precision strike stand-off capabilities, just like the JDAM munitions from the USA.

Round 3,000 have been dropped in March alone, principally from Su-34 fighter-bombers.

If Ukraine can shield its F-16s on the bottom, the hope is that they might play an essential half in pushing again Russian plane to some extent the place they’ll now not goal Ukrainian floor forces with glide bombs.

Kyiv had steered that it might maintain some F-16s at overseas army bases, however that suggestion prompted President Vladimir Putin to warn that any Western bases storing Ukrainian jets could be a official army goal for Russia.

Consultants additionally say the fighters might present a lot wanted air assist to Ukrainian floor forces, who’ve confronted relentless assaults in latest months, particularly within the japanese Donbas area.

Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov beforehand vowed that Western-made F-16s flying for Ukraine could be “shot down”.

“However after all, these deliveries won’t have any vital influence on the event of occasions on the entrance,” he added.