Ukrainian pilots have started flying F-16s for operations within the nation, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Sunday, confirming the long-awaited arrival of the U.S.-made fighter jets more than 29 months after Russia’s invasion.
The Ukrainian leader announced the use of F-16s, which Kyiv has long lobbied for, as he met military pilots at an air base flanked by two of the jets, with two more flying overhead.
“F-16s are in Ukraine. We did it. I am proud of our guys who are mastering these jets and have already started using them for our country,” Zelenskyy said at a location that authorities asked Reuters not to disclose for security reasons.
Ukraine’s top commander, Oleksandr Syrskyi welcomed the arrival of the jets and thanked the president and other officials for working “24/7” to secure them. Their arrival, he said, would save the lives of Ukrainian soldiers.
“This means that more of the occupiers will be destroyed,” Syrskyi wrote on Facebook. “It means a greater number of downed missiles and aircraft used by the Russian criminals to attack Ukrainian cities.” The arrival of the jets is a milestone for Ukraine, though it remains unclear how many are available and how much of an impact they will have in enhancing air defences and on the battlefield.
Russia has been targeting bases that may house them and vowed to shoot them down.
Built by Lockheed Martin, the F-16s had been on Ukraine’s wish list for a long time because of their destructive power and global availability. They are equipped with a 20mm cannon and can carry bombs, rockets and missiles.
Talking to reporters on the tarmac of an airfield, Zelenskyy said Ukraine still did not have enough pilots trained to use the F-16s or enough of the jets themselves.
“The positive thing is that we are expecting additional F-16s … many guys are now training,” he said.