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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Ukraine is looking to secure a boost to its F-16 force before year-end while also pursuing a rapid increase in output for systems that can address the growing threat from Russian jet-powered drones.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, following a meeting with Defense Ministry staff on weapons production, said, “We identified the areas for the necessary supply of our F-16s by the end of the year.” Talks are underway with countries he did not identify to provide that support. “There will be a boost in the near future,” he pledged on social media.
Belgium, for instance, said it would transfer three F-16s by the end of the year, he said. Belgium and Spain also have furnished ammunition for F-16s, he noted.
The group also discussed how to handle Russia’s increased use of jet-powered Shahed-type drones that are harder for Ukraine to defeat. “We identified the first prototypes that can already become effective weapons. There are clear timelines, funding, and production volumes that must be secured for this particular weapon,” Zelenskyy said.
The Defense Ministry, in its own social media post, added “Countering jet-powered Shaheds is now a production question, not a research one.”
Overnight, Ukraine suffered another wave of strikes by Russia, which has been heavily targeting civilian infrastructure. Almost 190 drone and ballistic missile attacks took place, including 29 jet-powered drones.
Ukraine has been trying to fight back, targeting Russian oil and gas production sites and military infrastructure. Zelenskyy said the meeting with the Defense Ministry spelled out plans for such long-range operations for October.
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