Hours ago it was confirmed that Ukraine received the first long-promised Western F-16 fighter jets. Their exact number was not specified for security reasons.
The Telegraph reported that Ukraine has already flown its first combat missions with F-16s following the long-awaited arrival of US fighter jets. According to the publication, military aircraft have so far been used only as “air defense”.
According to Bloomberg, Ukraine has currently received “small“ number of F-16 fighters. Belgium, Denmark, Norway and the Netherlands are expected to transfer a total of 79 of the military aircraft in question to Kiev.
Ukrainian forces said the planes would help Kiev challenge “total dominance” of Russia in the sky above the Black Sea. But Western aviation experts have warned that the warplanes will not ensure the victory of the Ukrainians in the war.
A Washington Post report last week said only six Ukrainian pilots had qualified to fly the F-16, meaning only a limited number of flights could be flown each day. There are also expectations that the aircraft will be limited to an air defense role due to the threat posed by Russian surface-to-air missile systems closer to the front lines.