Zelensky Confirms F-16s Are in Ukraine

President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed on Sunday that F-16s had arrived in Ukraine. A US official said only a limited number of the warplanes are in Ukraine currently, adding the fighters are not flying combat operations. 

In a statement posted to X, Zelensky wrote, “F-16s in Ukraine. We ensured this.” He added that Ukrainian pilots “have already started using them for our country.” 

A US official insisted the operations were not combat missions. “About a half-dozen pilots were conducting test flights on as many jets in “uncontested” Ukrainian airspace,” The New York Times reported the unnamed official said. 

F-16s require two pilots to operate a single aircraft, meaning Ukraine is only able to currently operate three warplanes at a time.