Key developments on June 28-29: * Russia launches largest attack of war, targeting Ukrainian regions far from front lines * F-16 pilot killed during Russia's overnight massive air attack, Air Force says * Ukrainian drone strike on Crimea air base destroys 3 Russian helicopters, SBU claims * 'It's time to move your bill' — Senator
Maksym Ustymenko, born in 1993, was killed after shooting down seven aerial targets, the Air Force said in a statement. The Air Force added that his aircraft was damaged while he was trying to shoot down the last one, losing altitude and crashing.
Key developments on May 26: * West no longer imposing range restrictions on arms for Ukraine, Germany's Merz says * Russia launches record 355 drones at Ukraine; 6 killed, 24 injured over past 24 hours * Russian drone production site, chemical plant targeted in alleged Ukrainian drone strike * Netherlands to send last of
"We are also training pilots and technicians and sharing our military doctrines, so that Ukraine can build a modern armed force that matches that of the NATO member states," Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans said.
Key developments on May 16: * Ukraine-Russia talks in Istanbul end, Moscow demands Kyiv withdraw from 4 regions, no ceasefire agreement * Up to 640,000 Russian troops fighting against Ukraine, Syrskyi says * Ukraine 'lost contact' with F-16 during combat, pilot ejected, Air Force says * Putin appoints general who led Mariupol assault
The Air Force "lost contact" with an F-16 jet during a mission to repel a Russian aerial attack overnight on May 16 following an emergency situation on board, the Air Force reported.
The country confirmed in July 2024 that it would donate several of the U.S.-made aircraft as part of Western efforts to strengthen Ukraine’s air defenses.
Key developments on May 5: * Ahead of Putin's Victory Day Parade, Ukrainian drones reportedly target Moscow, Russian officials claim * Ukraine strikes Russian drone control center in Kursk Oblast, Ukraine's General Staff says * Special tribunal against Russian leadership may be launched in 2026, President's Office says * Czech Republic ready to train
"We are ready to deepen our contribution to the training of the Ukrainian military," Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said on May 5.
The equipment and services include aircraft modifications and upgrades as well as personnel training related to operation, maintenance, and sustainment support.
Key developments on May 2: * Russia attacks Kharkiv with drones, injuring at least 40 * Massive drone attack reportedly targets Russian military sites in occupied Crimea * U.S. confirms sending decommissioned F-16s to Ukraine for spare parts * Russian drone attack on Zaporizhzhia kills 1, injures 28 A Russian drone attack on
According to an Air Force spokesperson, the U.S. Department of the Air Force "has supported the sustainment of European-donated F-16s to Ukraine by providing disused and completely non-operational F-16s to Ukraine for parts."
Pavlo Ivanov, a 26-year-old Ukrainian pilot of an F-16 fighter jet, was killed during a combat mission on April 12, Ukraine’s Air Force reported.
"There are more F-16s prepared to be deployed in there. There are more pilots in the training pipelines," U.S. Army General Christopher Cavoli said on April 3.
A new shipment of Western F-16 fighter jets has arrived in Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed to journalists on March 19.
Following his meeting with Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof at the Munich Security Conference, President Volodymyr Zelensky stressed that bolstering Ukraine’s air defenses remains a top priority.
The Netherlands will deliver another batch of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine in 2025, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov announced on Jan. 31.
Key developments on Jan. 28: * Putin claims Zelensky doesn't have a right to sign any potential peace deal * 'Pure propaganda' — Kharkiv Oblast governor denies Russian claims of capturing Dvorichna * Italian parliament extends military support for Ukraine through 2025 * SBU says it dismantled Russian spy network targeting F-16 jets * Government dismisses
The operation, conducted near a military airfield, led to the arrest of two agents who were caught photographing a Ukrainian F-16 fighter jet during takeoff.
"This is a false story being spread by the Russian media — probably with the aim of discrediting Denmark," Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said.
Key developments on Jan. 7: * Ukraine hits Russia's infantry brigade command post in Kursk Oblast, military claims * In historic record, Ukrainian F-16 pilot downs 6 cruise missiles in single mission, Air Force claims * Trump blames Biden for provoking Russia's war by supporting Ukraine's NATO aspirations * Ukraine says it holds Kurakhove's
For the first time in the history of the F-16 Fighting Falcon, a Ukrainian-operated jet shot down six Russian cruise missiles during a single mission in December, the Air Force claimed on Jan. 7.
As the outgoing administration of U.S. President Joe Biden rushes to provide last-minute aid to Ukraine before Donald Trump takes office in January, the State Department has recently announced a $266 million maintenance sales package for Ukraine's F-16 fighter jets. Trump has made no public comments about the Ukrainian
Norway will continue training Ukrainian F-16 pilots as part of its support for Ukraine’s defense and will relocate its training base from Denmark to Portugal, Norwegian Defense Minister Bjørn Arild Gram announced in a Dec. 13 press release.
The State Department approved a $266 million foreign military sales package for Ukraine on Dec. 10, enabling the sustainment of services as well as repairs necessary for the upkeep of the country's F-16 fighter jets.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said that if all international partners demonstrated the same level of commitment then "Russian terror could already have been made impossible."
"The next step is advanced fast jet training and conversion to F-16 with partner nations," the statement read.
The launch of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 confronted the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) with a new geopolitical reality. Described as "braindead" by French President Emmanuel Macron only a few years prior, the alliance woke up to a threat previously thought consigned to the past: a
The shift could extend the training program by months, delaying the Ukrainian squadron's battlefield readiness even further.
Sitting at Kyiv's main train station moments before wrapping up his trip to Ukraine, Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans had a lot to discuss. Brekelmans has just announced that the first batch of Dutch F-16s are flying Ukrainian skies, defending the country from Russian air strikes. He also announced that
Denmark will invest 4.2 billion Danish kroner ($628 million) into Ukraine's arms production, according to Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen. Poulsen signed the following agreements with his Ukrainian counterpart Rustem Umerov and Strategic Industries Minister Herman Smetanin in Kyiv. The Danish defense minister's trip to Kyiv took place as
Key developments on Sept. 21-22: * Ukraine awaits Mirage 2000 jets, in talks about Gripen, Eurofighter Typhoon, defense minister says * Ukraine confirms overnight strikes on Russian arms depots * Iran provided no launchers with missile deliveries to Russia, Reuters reports * Russia preparing strikes against Ukrainian nuclear facilities ahead of winter, foreign minister
The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is an American air superiority fighter that Kyiv has requested from its allies since the start of the full-scale invasion. Denmark and the Netherlands founded the "fighter jet coalition" for Ukraine on July 11, 2023 at the NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania with nine other countries: Belgium, Canada, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.
These countries pledged to help provide Kyiv with F-16s and train Ukrainian pilots and technical staff to operate the jets. Washington gave its approval in August 2023 to the Netherlands and Denmark to donate their F-16s to Ukraine after training was complete, and agreed to start training Ukrainian pilots in Arizona from October 2023.
Kyiv has been promised 79 F-16s from the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, and Belgium, with the first 20 reportedly scheduled to arrive by the end of 2024. Belgium will supply Ukraine with 30 F-16 fighter jets by 2028.
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