The American-made F-16 is an iconic fighter aircraft that has been the frontline fighter of choice for the NATO alliance and numerous air forces around the world for 50 years.
The Ukrainian president, Volodímir Zelenski, exhibited the new F-16 combat aircraft this Sunday in Ukraine. “These planes are in our sky and you can see them today,” Zelensky said, standing in front of two of the fighter jets as two others flew in tight formation. “It’s good that they are here and that we can use them”he added.
Ukraine is also trying to get neighboring countries to help defend against Russian missiles, Zelensky said.
“This decision is probably difficult for our allies, since they always they fear unnecessary escalation”said the president of Ukraine. “We will work on this. “I think we have a good option of a NATO-Ukraine council so that NATO countries can talk to Ukraine about the possibility of a small coalition of neighboring countries that would shoot down enemy missiles.”
The airplanes F-16 They sported Ukraine’s trident insignia on their tails and were wrapped in camouflage netting, providing a backdrop for Zelensky’s speech on Armed Forces Day.
“Since the beginning of this war, we have been talking to our partners about the need to protect our skies Ukrainians from Russian missiles and aircraft,” Zelensky said. “Now we have a new reality in our skies. The F-16s are in Ukraine. “We made it happen.”
Ukraine could keep some of the F-16 fighter jets on foreign bases to protect them from Russian attacks, according to a senior Ukrainian military official.
The Russian president, Vladimir Putinhas reacted by saying that Moscow would consider launching attacks against facilities in NATO countries if they housed Ukrainian warplanes.
Although new to Ukraine, the F-16s are older aircraft that have been donated by Ukraine’s Western allies. Belgium, Denmark and Norway They have committed to delivering more than 60 aircraft to Ukraine in the coming months. Zelensky did not say how many F-16s have arrived in Ukraine or what countries they come from.
Last August, US President Joe Biden said that used F-16s could be deployed in Ukrainealthough the United States would not provide any of its own aircraft.
Analysts say F-16s will boost Ukraine’s military strength, but likely will not be enough to turn the tide of the war on their own, as Russia continues to make constant small advances on the battlefield.
