Ukraine has obtained its first American-made F-16 fighter jets, President Volodymyr Zelensky has mentioned.
“F-16 in Ukraine. We did it,” President Zelensky mentioned 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 had been wanted.
Their arrival marks an important milestone in boosting the capabilities of Ukraine’s air power, which largely depends on outdated Soviet-era jets.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 been pledged by Nato nations since US President Joe Biden first authorised prepared European allies to ship them to Ukraine in August 2023.
The UK doesn’t have any F-16s in its air power, although it’s supplying long-range Storm Shadow missiles which might be fitted to the jets.
The F-16 was launched in 1978. Many Western militaries are within the means of retiring the ageing fighters, changing them with the US-made F-35, launched in 2015.
The F-16s will work alongside a restricted variety of Western-supplied surface-to-air missile techniques comparable to Patriot and NASAMS that are already on the bottom.
This 12 months Ukraine has been under huge threat from Russian glide bombs – bombs fitted with pop-out wing kits and steering modules to ship precision strike stand-off capabilities, much like the JDAM munitions from the US.
Round 3,000 had 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 will not goal Ukrainian floor forces with glide bombs.
Kyiv had instructed that it may maintain some F-16s at international navy bases, however that suggestion prompted President Vladimir Putin to warn that any Western bases storing Ukrainian jets can be a professional navy goal for Russia.
Specialists additionally say the fighters may present a lot wanted air assist to Ukrainian floor forces, who’ve confronted relentless assaults in latest months, particularly within the jap Donbas area.
Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov beforehand vowed that Western-made F-16s flying for Ukraine can be “shot down”.
“However after all, these deliveries is not going to have any important impression on the event of occasions on the entrance,” he added.
