Volodymyr Zelenskyy: 'F-16s are in Ukraine'

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made an important announcement during a ceremony held for Ukraine's Air Force Day. Zelenskyy announced that US-made F-16 fighter jets have been delivered to Ukraine following long-standing negotiations.

In his speech, Zelenskyy stated, "We have held hundreds of meetings and negotiations to strengthen the capabilities of our aviation, to improve our air defense and our defense forces. In response, we often heard the word 'impossible.' However, we met our defense needs, and now this is a reality in our skies. F-16s are in Ukraine. We have achieved this. I am proud of our soldiers who have mastered these jets and have begun using them for our country."

Emphasizing that the number of F-16 aircraft and trained pilots is still insufficient, Zelenskyy noted his expectation for additional fighter jets and stated that the training of Ukrainian pilots is ongoing.

He also pointed out that efforts to effectively target Russian missiles by neighboring countries need to be increased. Zelenskyy said, "Today, such a coalition is missing. It is a great responsibility for a neighboring country to help us shoot down missiles. However, I believe this should have been done a long time ago. I know that our partners are afraid of an escalation in military tension, but we are fighting against it."

In a post on his social media account, Zelenskyy also expressed, "I am grateful to all our partners who have truly helped with the F-16s, and to Denmark, the Netherlands, and the US, who were the first to accept our request for the aircraft." The number of F-16 fighter jets delivered to Ukraine has not yet been disclosed.