Ukraine received a limited number of American-made F-16 fighters. For now, however, the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) will not be able to use their full capacity. This is stated in a new report of the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW), reports UNIAN, as quoted by Focus.
According to the Institute, it will likely be "several months before Ukraine can use these aircraft at scale”. On July 31, Western media reported that the first batch of F-16s had recently arrived in Ukraine and that the country would soon receive more aircraft.
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis confirmed that an "unspecified number” The F-16s were in Ukraine on July 31 and recent footage shows the fighters operating over Ukrainian airspace.
Ukrainian officials have previously shared their intention to use F-16s and other aircraft as part of a broader air defense umbrella in coordination with existing air defense systems, but have repeatedly stressed that Kiev would need to obtain a significant number fighters to implement these plans.
The country's president, Volodymyr Zelenskyi, during an interview on August 1, called on Western countries to support Ukraine's ability to strike military targets on Russian territory and noted that the country's survival depends on Western support for strikes deep inside Russia.
"The Ukrainian military will almost certainly be unwilling or unable to integrate the F-16 into conventional air defense or long-range strike missions until it receives additional aircraft,” ISW sums up.