Liudmyla Zhernovska21:45, 26.05.25

In total, the country transferred 24 fighter jets to Ukraine.

The last F-16 fighter jets that the Netherlands promised to Ukraine have departed from Volkel Air Base in the Netherlands. There, they are being prepared for transfer to the Ukrainian Air Force.

According to the Ministry of Defense , Minister Ruben Brekelmans personally supervised the flights. He recalled that in peacetime, the transition to the F-16 would have taken Ukraine years, but its pilots and technicians were able to do it in record time. Brekelmans also thanked the people who worked on this in the Netherlands: 

“This is a nostalgic moment because for decades the F-16 has been central to our Air Force. But now that we are saying goodbye to them after the transition to the F-35, I couldn’t think of a better destination than Ukraine. With daily Russian airstrikes, the F-16 is vital to Ukraine. It helps deter Russian aggression, and it helps us too.”

The Minister of Defense noted that Ukrainian fighters have already successfully used fighter jets, in particular, to shoot down Russian cruise missiles and kamikaze drones.

“That is, they have already saved lives. F-16s have a better overview of the battlefield and a higher survival rate than the outdated Soviet aircraft that the Ukrainian Air Force flew,” he added.

The ministry stressed that it will not stop participating in the Ukrainian F-16 program. The country will continue to provide Ukraine with a full package of support to ensure the operation of the fighters, which includes training, spare parts, ammunition and fuel for them.

F-16 from the Netherlands

(C)UNIAN 2025