The Ukrainian Air Force has received a new batch of F-16 multi-role fighter jets as part of international military aid.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced this during a Zoom briefing for journalists, according to European Pravda.

Meanwhile, the President did not disclose the exact number of fighter jets included in this batch but emphasized that it is good news.

“Additional F-16s have arrived in Ukraine. The Russians are falsely claiming to have shot something down, but in reality, they haven’t. The good news is that several F-16 fighter jets have now arrived in Ukraine,” President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated.

The President did not reveal the specific country from which the fighter jets came, which are bolstering the Ukrainian Air Force in the face of ongoing Russian attacks.

European F-16s for Ukraine

Last month, Denmark‘s Minister of Defense, Troels Lund Poulsen, confirmed that Denmark had already delivered twelve of the nineteen F-16 fighter jets it had pledged to Ukraine. These aircraft are being transferred in three stages, as previously reported.

In early February, it was also announced that the Ukrainian Air Force had received its second batch of F-16s from the Netherlands.

The transfer of the first F-16 fighter jets from the Royal Netherlands Air Force to Ukraine was announced in early October 2024. The Netherlands has committed to supplying a total of 24 fighter jets to Ukraine as part of its military aid.

Notably, Denmark and the Netherlands are at the forefront of the international coalition supporting Ukraine, overseeing training programs for Ukrainian pilots and technical personnel in operating F-16s.

In a recent update, Belgium announced that it will be unable to transfer its F-16s to Ukraine this year, citing delays in the delivery of its own F-35 jets.

Initially, Belgium’s involvement was limited to training and logistical support for this type of fighter jet. However, later the government decided to transfer 30 fighter jets.

The completion of this transfer was planned for 2028 and was tied to the arrival of replacements. Now, Belgium has postponed the transfer of its F-16s to Ukraine for at least one more year.