Ukraine Verifies Delivery of F-16s

War-torn country has sought access to the fighter jets in order to modernize its air defenses following Russia's invasion in 2022.

Kimberly Johnson

Thursday, March 20, 2025 at 04:27 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Kimberly Johnson

Earlier this year, The Netherlands pledged dozens of F-16s to Ukraine. [Courtesy: The Netherlands Ministry of Defense]

Key Takeaways:

Ukraine's President Zelenskyy confirmed the arrival of a new batch of F-16 fighter jets, explicitly refuting Russian claims of shooting them down.
The specific number and origin of these recently delivered F-16s were not disclosed.
These deliveries are part of ongoing international efforts to modernize Ukraine's air force and enhance its defense capabilities, following earlier F-16 arrivals and ongoing pilot training.

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Ukraine has taken delivery of a batch of F-16 fighter jets, the country’s president confirmed Wednesday.

“Additional F-16s have arrived in Ukraine,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy told journalists at a press conference Wednesday, the Kyiv Independent reported. “The Russians lied that they shot down something there, they didn’t shoot anything down. And the good news is that several F-16 aircraft have arrived in Ukraine.”