Ukraine has received an additional shipment of F-16 fighter jets, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced.
“Additional F-16s have arrived in Ukraine. The Russians are lying about shooting something down—they shot nothing down. And the good news is that several F-16s have reached Ukraine,” Zelenskyy stated.
The president did not specify the exact number of jets delivered.
The announcement comes amid conflicting reports circulating on Russian Telegram channels, which initially claimed that an F-16 had been shot down over Ukraine’s Sumy region. Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation refuted these claims, stating that the reports were part of a coordinated disinformation campaign.
Fighterbomber, a Telegram channel with close ties to the Russian military, also cast doubt on the claim.
“Reports of a downed F-16 have not been confirmed. We have a general idea of where this rumor started, and why it triggered such hysteria in certain channels,” the channel posted. “A missed shot is a missed shot. It’s not a kill. And it’s not even certain there was any damage.”
Ukraine has long advocated for deliveries of Western fighter jets, arguing that they are crucial for maintaining air superiority.
Zelenskyy’s announcement underscores Ukraine’s efforts to enhance its aerial capabilities while countering Russian claims aimed at undermining morale. With the new batch of aircraft now in operation, Ukraine’s defense forces will look to integrate the jets into their strategy in the weeks ahead.