Zelensky Confirms Ukraine's Receipt of First F-16 Aircraft

"We have held hundreds of meetings and negotiations to strengthen the capabilities of our aviation, to strengthen the capabilities of our air defense, and our Defense Forces. We have often heard the word "impossible" in response, but we have made possible what was our ambition, our defense need, and now it is actually a reality, a reality in our skies. F-16s are in Ukraine. We made it happen," Zelensky said.

The President of Ukraine thanked the partners who helped Ukraine obtain the F-16s and the countries that first supported Ukraine's request for these self-funding aircraft, namely Denmark, the Netherlands, and the United States.

Zelensky did not specify how many planes Ukraine received. He emphasized that the number of F-16s and trained pilots is still insufficient.

The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrskyi, stated that with the arrival of F-16 fighter jets in Ukraine, "there will be more downed missiles and planes that Russian criminals use to attack Ukrainian cities."

"The effective use of modern aircraft is the preservation of the lives of Ukrainian soldiers. Thank you to the President, the Secretary of Defense and everyone who worked 24/7 to bring F-16s to our skies," Syrskyi said, noting that this is another important step toward Ukraine's victory.

Ukraine is awaiting additional fighter jets from partner countries.