Ukraine receives first F‑16s, marking new era in air defense
Media reports about the delivery of F-16 planes to Ukraine were true. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed this on Sunday. In a speech on Air Force Day, he stated that the first multipurpose F-16 aircraft had arrived in Ukraine and were already fulfilling tasks in the sky.
"We often heard the word 'impossible,' but we made possible what was our ambition, our defense need. And now, it is already a reality in our sky. F-16s are in Ukraine. We achieved this. I am proud of our guys who mastered these planes and have already started using them for our country," Zelensky stated.
The President assessed that receiving Western aircraft marks the transition to a new stage in the development of Ukrainian air forces. At the same time, he noted that "the number of planes that have arrived in Ukraine and the number of those pilots who have already been trained is still insufficient." However, he emphasized that Ukraine's partners know his country's defense needs.
Zelensky also said that at this moment he cannot disclose the details regarding what tasks the fighters will perform or which of them "have already performed," reports Interfax-Ukraine agency.
Recordings presenting the first Ukrainian F-16s were published on the official website of President Zelensky. Against their background, he was handing out state awards to deserving air force soldiers. The recordings also showed two F-16 aircraft in Ukrainian colors in the sky.
The delivery of the F-16 planes to Ukraine was reported on Wednesday, July 31, by Bloomberg agency. Citing its own anonymous sources, it stated that the number of planes delivered was small.
"The impossible turned out to be very possible"
On that same day, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis also wrote about it on the platform X. "F-16s in Ukraine. Another impossible thing turned out to be totally possible," he declared.
According to previous arrangements, Ukraine was supposed to receive its first F-16s this summer. Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands, and Belgium planned to deliver over 60 such machines to Ukraine.
