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“The first Danish F-16 aircraft has arrived in Ukraine, an important milestone,” he wrote on social media platform X.
“Testified that Russia It has been targeting bases where these missiles may be stationed and has vowed to shoot them down before they can affect the war.
The F-16, manufactured by Lockheed Martin, has long been on Ukraine’s wish list due to its destructive power and global availability.
They are equipped with a 20mm cannon and can carry bombs, rockets and missiles.
Zelensky told reporters on the airport tarmac that Ukraine still does not have enough pilots trained to fly F-16 fighter jets, nor does it have enough F-16 fighter jets.
“On a positive note, we are expecting to receive more F-16s… a number of them are now undergoing training,” he said.
He said it was important that Kyiv’s allies find ways to expand training programs and opportunities for Ukrainian pilots and engineering teams.
Ukraine has previously relied on an aging fleet of Soviet-era fighter jets that lack the firepower of Russia’s more advanced and larger fleet.
Russia has used this advantage to launch regular long-range missile strikes on targets across Ukraine and to bombard Ukrainian frontline positions with thousands of guided bombs in support of its slowly advancing troops in the east.
“This is a new stage in the development of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Air Force,” Zelensky said.
“We did a lot to prepare the Ukrainian army for the transition to new aviation standards, Western combat aviation,” he added, saying that hundreds of meetings and tireless diplomatic efforts were required to obtain the F-16s.
“We often hear the response ‘it’s impossible’ but we still make our ambitions and defence needs possible,” he said. Denmark’s support for Ukraine’s struggle for freedom is unwavering.
It is not yet clear what kind of missiles these fighters are equipped with.
Military analysts say missiles with longer range will be able to have a greater impact on the battlefield.
Zelensky said he also hopes to lobby neighboring allies to help intercept Russian missiles launched at Ukraine through dialogue on the Ukraine-NATO Council platform.
“This is another tool that I would like to try so that NATO countries can talk to Ukraine about the possibility of a small coalition of neighboring countries to shoot down enemy missiles,” he said.
“I think this decision may be difficult for our partners, who are always concerned about over-escalation, but we are fighting it.”
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