Ukraine bolsters defense with new delivery of F‑16 jets
Ukraine has received new deliveries of F-16 fighter jets. President Volodymyr Zelensky announced this during a press conference on March 19. However, he declined to disclose the exact number of aircraft and the country that supplied them to Kyiv.
President Zelensky announced on Wednesday that more F-16s have been delivered. At a press conference following a phone call with U.S. President Donald Trump, he stated that Ukraine "additional F-16s have arrived in Ukraine."
The leader did not disclose further details. "Several F-16s have reached Ukraine," he stated. "I will not say how many," he added briefly.
Zelensky also refused to reveal the country that delivered the aircraft.
F-16s in Ukraine: delays in deliveries from Belgium
At the beginning of March, Belgium announced that it would be able to deliver F-16s to Ukraine only next year. The reason is delays in the delivery of newly ordered F-35 aircraft, which are set to replace the F-16s in the Belgian Air Force.
In 2024, the Belgian government decided to transfer 30 decommissioned F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine. The first delivery of aircraft was originally planned for the end of last year but was suspended.
F-16s in Ukraine: Key role on the front line
F-16 fighter jets are used in Ukraine for both offensive and defensive operations. They play a crucial role in intercepting Russian missiles and drones.
The Kyiv Post portal reminds us that Ukraine received its first batch of F-16s from Denmark and the Netherlands in 2024.
