According to President Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine needs around 100 more combat aircraft to defend itself from the Russian war of aggression, in addition to the commitments that have already been made. “In total, we need around 160 combat aircraft for a powerful air force,” said Zelensky in an interview published yesterday on Portuguese public television.
The intention is to deprive Russia of the opportunity to dominate Ukrainian airspace. So far, Kiev has received commitments for “50 or 60” F-16 fighters, the Ukrainian head of state said. On Wednesday, Air Force spokesman Yuri Ihnat spoke on Ukrainian public television about the need for “approximately 128 F-16 fighters.”
Ukraine has been fending off a Russian invasion with Western help for more than 18 months. The Ukrainian Air Force currently has only obsolete Soviet-made aircraft. Kiev has received commitments from Denmark, the Netherlands and Norway for F-16 deliveries. Several countries also want to support the necessary training of pilots and technicians.