Ukraine needs 120-130 F-16 jets to counter Russian air power — Zelenskyy
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
Ukraine requires 120-130 U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets to effectively contest Russian presence over the battlefield, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an interview with Reuters on May 21.
In the interview, Zelenskyy stated that the Russians are using 300 military aircraft against Ukraine.
“We need at least 120-130 F-16 planes to be able to oppose the enemy in the air,” the president said.
He added that Poland could shoot down Russian cruise missiles over western Ukraine using its aircraft. According to Zelenskyy, whenever enemy missiles are heading towards NATO countries, Kyiv immediately alerts Poland and other nations.
"It’s a matter of willingness; but everyone is afraid of escalation," he remarked.
Read also: Ukrainian servicemen complete F-16 maintenance training in the Netherlands
In August 2023, the Netherlands and Denmark promised to jointly transfer 61 U.S.-made F-16 fighters to Ukraine. Norway and Belgium later joined the initiative as well.
On May 10, Western media reported that the first batch of F-16s would arrive in Ukraine within a few weeks.
We’re bringing the voice of Ukraine to the world. Support us with a one-time donation, or become a Patron!
Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
