The Ukrainian Air Force has received a new batch of F-16 fighter jets as part of international military aid, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced during a Zoom briefing for journalists on 19 March 2025.
According to RBC-Ukraine, Zelenskyy said:
“Additional F-16s have arrived in Ukraine. The Russians are lying that they shot something down, they didn’t shoot anything down. And the good news is that several F-16 aircraft have arrived in Ukraine,” Zelenskyy said.
The president did not disclose the exact number of combat aircraft included in this batch, nor did he specify which country provided them. The new fighters will strengthen the Ukrainian Air Force amid ongoing Russian air attacks.
Russian disinformation attempts
Earlier, several Russian media outlets began claiming they had shot down an F-16 in Sumy Oblast. However, Yurii Ihnat, head of communications at the Ukrainian Air Force Command, stated that such Russian claims were merely propaganda.
“Pilots of the F’s successfully struck Russian forces again today. And so every day, combat work continues,” Ihnat emphasized, referring to 19 March.
European F-16s for Ukraine
Last month, Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen revealed that Denmark had already transferred 12 of the 19 promised F-16 fighters to Ukraine. Previous reports indicated that Danish fighters would be transferred to Ukraine in three stages.
In early February, it was reported that the Ukrainian Air Force received a second batch of F-16 combat aircraft from the Netherlands. The transfer of the first F-16s from the Royal Netherlands Air Force to Ukraine became known in early October 2024. In total, the Netherlands committed to providing Ukraine with 24 fighters as part of military aid, according to Militarnyi.
Denmark and the Netherlands lead an international fighter coalition under which Ukrainian pilots and technical personnel receive training on F-16 operations.
It was recently revealed that Belgium will not be able to transfer its F-16s to Ukraine this year due to delays in the delivery of F-35s ordered from the US. Initially, Belgium’s participation was limited to training and logistical support for this type of fighter, but later the government decided to transfer 30 fighters. The new deadline for the transfer is set for late 2028.
Related:
- Ukraine’s air force uses Mirage fighters against Russian missiles for the first time
- Belgium delays F-16 deliveries—Ukraine must wait for at least another year
- Ukraine’s F-16s deploy US missiles adapted to defeat Russian air tactics, TWZ reports
- Russia shifts missile strike tactics as Ukraine deploys F-16 jets, expert says
- More Dutch F-16s arrive in Ukraine as France delivers its first Mirage 2000 jets
- Ukraine expects new F-16 delivery from Netherlands in 2025
