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 an additional batch of F-16 fighter jets, refuting Russian claims of shooting them down.
The exact number of newly delivered F-16s and their country of origin were not disclosed.
This delivery contributes to Ukraine's efforts to modernize its air force, with numerous countries having previously pledged F-16s.
Ukrainian pilots have been undergoing training for F-16 operations since last year, following an initial delivery of jets in August.

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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.”