In an interview with Portuguese TV channel RTP, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukraine needs about 160 F-16 fighter jets to counter Russia's dominance in its airspace.
According to him, in addition to the 60 F-16s already promised by Western countries, which are expected to enter service in early 2024, Ukraine needs an additional one hundred such fighters.
"Today we have an agreement on the future delivery of 50-60 fighters... In total, we need about 160 fighters to have a powerful air force that will not allow Russia to dominate the airspace," the president said, emphasizing that this assistance came late and that Russia's dominance in the sky is "absolute."
The president noted that the fighter jets would appear in Ukrainian sky at the beginning of next year, although he admitted that this is a complex issue that requires training for both pilots and engineers.
Zelenskyy emphasized that fighter jets are necessary for the protection and defense of civilians, not for counterattacks.
The President noted: "We are at war with Russia, we are fighting for our Ukrainian land, against the aggressive policy of the Russian Federation. We need fighter jets only to defend ourselves. To protect our land, our sea, our sky."
Zelenskyy also emphasized the importance of using F-16s to prevent Russian aggression and ensure the security of grain corridors in the Black and Azov Seas.
