Two F-16 jets, bearing Ukraine’s distinctive trident on their tails and draped in camouflage netting, formed the backdrop for Ukrainian President Zelensky’s speech on Air Force Day.

This is an event held under strict security measures at an undisclosed location to protect fighter jets from Russian attacks.

The delivered F-16 fighter jets will strengthen the country’s war effort against Russia. Ukraine may keep some of its F-16 fighter jets at foreign bases to protect them from Russian strikes, according to a senior Ukrainian military official. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that Moscow could consider launching strikes on facilities in NATO countries if they host the warplanes used in Ukraine.

Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands and Norway have pledged to provide Ukraine with more than 60 of them over the coming months, on a slow delivery schedule. Zelensky did not say how many F-16s have arrived in Ukraine or from which countries.

US President Joe Biden gave the go-ahead in August 2023 for the deployment of used F-16s to Ukraine, although the US will not provide any aircraft of its own.

Russia is making small but steady gains on the battlefield in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region, and its steady forward movement is adding up as Ukraine gradually retreats and many eye Zelensky’s position.

Russia has awarded the F-16s with an undisclosed fee for each shootdown, the Kremlin has said. No aircraft in use can be effectively hidden from the advanced satellite systems used by countries like Russia.

Also read: Ukraine | Delivery of the first F-16s