U.S.-Made F-16's Arrive in Ukraine To Bolster Defense Against Russian Invasion

F-16 fighter jets have finally made their way to Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says the first batch has already been deployed.

Transcript

00:00The first batch of U.S.-made F-16 aircraft arrived in Ukraine on Sunday, and after two

00:10years of war, the country's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, says they're key to his nation's

00:15defense, and some have already been deployed.

00:18Russian President Vladimir Putin launched an invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, so

00:48starting a war that continues to this day.

00:56Ukraine's allies, including the U.S., the U.K. and Germany, have already given billions

01:01of U.S. dollars in aid and weapons.

01:08But over two years into the war, Kyiv is still seeking ways to stop daily Russian drone,

01:13missile and air strikes on its cities.

01:31F-16s are a very modern addition to Ukraine's forces, and many defense analysts say the

01:36plane will help with air defense.

01:39Equipped with advanced weapons, the F-16 can intercept missiles and drones before

01:44they hit cities.

01:45The aircraft can also strike Russian ammunition depots and military bases, hindering their

01:50operations and progress.

02:08After being okayed by Washington last year, NATO countries pledged then donated 65 F-16s.

02:16While many people in Ukraine welcomed the additional firepower, officials in Russia

02:20still have little effect on the battlefield.

02:43With the F-16s in Kyiv's hangars, Ukraine is now focused on training more pilots to

02:48fly the aircraft.

02:50It's a process that takes about nine months, and it could be a while before Ukraine's F-16s

02:55are truly in the fight.

02:57Kama Chu and Jaime O'Connor for Taiwan Plus.