Since the start of the Russian invasion in February 2022, the Ukrainian authorities have been requesting the delivery of Western fighter jets to confront Russian forces. President Zelensky arrived at a Danish air force base in Skrydstrup on Sunday, where he was received by Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and other senior officials. In this context, Frederiksen announced that Denmark will donate 19 F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine to strengthen its military capacity. Delivery will take place gradually, with six aircraft planned for the end of this year, eight next year, and five in the following year.
Zelensky expressed his appreciation for this important support, calling it a historic step to strengthen Ukraine’s air defense. The donation of these planes was authorized by Washington, and other NATO countries are also taking part in training Ukrainian pilots to operate the F-16s. Zelensky’s visit to the Netherlands coincided with a Russian bombing raid on Chernihiv, which resulted in deaths and injuries. In response, the Ukrainian army attacked Russian regions, although the Russian authorities claimed that the attacks were neutralized.
In addition, demonstrations were held in several European cities in support of imprisoned Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalni, who was poisoned in 2018 in an incident blamed on the Kremlin. The delivery of the F-16 jets to Ukraine represents a significant step in the ongoing conflict, providing a boost to Ukrainian forces in their fight against the Russian invasion.