On October 6, the head of the Ministry of Defense of the Netherlands, Ruben Breckelmans, officially announced that the first F-16 fighter jets from the Netherlands had arrived in Ukraine.
Points of attention
- Ukraine received the first F-16 fighter jets from the Netherlands, which is an important step in supporting Ukrainian defense.
- The Netherlands will also provide the Armed Forces with modern drones for reconnaissance, defense and attack.
- The head of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine considers the arrival of F-16 aircraft in Ukrainian skies as evidence of unwavering support from the Netherlands.
Ukraine received even more F-16s
Ruben Brekelmans announced this on the X social network following his visit to Ukraine.
For the first time, I can officially announce that the first Dutch F-16 fighters have been delivered to Ukraine. It was very necessary. In Kharkiv, I saw damage from Russian airstrikes and heard frequent air raid signals, — wrote the Minister of Defense of the Netherlands.
In addition, according to him, during his visit to Kharkiv and Kyiv, he announced the Action Plan on drones.
Thanks to €400 million, we will provide modern drones for reconnaissance, defense and attack. Almost half of them will be developed in the Netherlands, Ruben Brekelmans emphasized.
How did the Ukrainian authorities comment on this decision
The head of the Ministry of Defense, Rustem Umyerov, drew attention to the fact that the F-16 aircraft in the Ukrainian sky are evidence of unwavering support from the people and government of the Netherlands.
He stated this following negotiations with the Dutch delegation headed by Breckelmans.
I am sincerely grateful for the comprehensive assistance provided by the Netherlands for protection against Russian aggression. The F-16s in our skies are a testament to the unwavering support of the people and government of the Kingdom. They agreed to strengthen cooperation within the aviation coalition. In particular, regarding the training of crews and the supply of weapons and spare parts for aircraft.
Rustem Umerov
Head of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine
Umerov also added that together with the team he urged the allies to invest even more in Ukrainian defense production.
