Ukraine receives second shipment of F-16 fighter jets from Denmark
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announces the arrival of a second shipment of F-16 fighter jets from Denmark.
"The second shipment of F-16s from Denmark is now in Ukraine. This is leadership in defense of life that distinguishes Denmark," Zelensky wrote on Telegram, thanking Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen personally: "Mette, thank you, your team, and all the Danish people!"
Zelensky also detailed that the jets from the initial delivery by Denmark "are already intercepting Russian missiles and saving our people, our infrastructure," and the second batch will further strengthen Ukraine's defense.
"If all partners were equally resolute, it would already be possible to make Russian terror impossible," added the Ukrainian President.
Denmark pledged 19 F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine. The first 10 of the promised 79 F-16s were delivered to Ukraine on July 31.
"By the end of 2024, Ukraine should be flying 20 of the same US-made fighters," reported The Economist on August 4, noting that the event occurred "a year after the indecisive Biden administration finally gave its overzealous European allies the green light for their shipment."
Denmark, a NATO member, signed an agreement in February guaranteeing military aid to Ukraine for the next decade. The same month, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen stated Copenhagen had handed over "all its artillery" to Kyiv, calling for Europe to boost military aid to Ukraine, which is in dire need of ammunition.
The coalition led by Denmark and the Netherlands promised additional F-16s to arrive in parts through 2025.
On July 30, The Wall Street Journal reported that the US agreed to equip the F-16s sent to Ukraine with AIM-120C-8 AMRAAM and AIM-9X air-to-air missiles, as well as AGM-88 HARM anti-radiation air-to-ground missiles and other "modern weaponry."
In late May, the first group of Ukrainian pilots completed training on the F-16 at a US military base in Arizona. By July, the Dutch and Danish governments, backed by the United States, had begun the process of aircraft transfer to Kyiv.
On August 29, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) reported that one of the F-16s provided by Western allies had crashed. The incident occurred while repelling a massive Russian missile strike three days earlier, resulting in the death of pilot Oleksiy Mes, call sign "Moonfish."
Speculation arose that pilot error caused the crash. However, Ukrainian MP Mariana Bezuhla claimed, based on her sources, that the F-16 was downed by friendly fire from a Patriot system, accusing the AFU’s Air Force of covering up the incident.