Are There Any Signs That Ukraine Has Finally Received the First F-16s?

Against the backdrop of a very long wait for Ukraine to receive its first multirole F-16 fighters, the first insider report in the Western press has emerged, indicating that these aircraft have already strengthened the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

As Bloomberg writes, "the first delivery of F-16 fighter jets from NATO allies has arrived in Ukraine, in a long-awaited move that may boost the war-torn nation’s ability to repel russian attacks. "

Read more: When Will Ukraine Receive F-16s, How Many Will They Get, and How Will They Aid in the War Against russia?

At the same time, Defense Express might question whether external factors can confirm that this significant event has indeed occurred. Specifically, it is worth mentioning that a video recently surfaced, showing what appears to be an F-16 in the sky over Ukraine.

But all that can be said is that the video does indeed show an F-16 and that it was filmed during a warm season. Whether it was taken in Ukraine, the USA, Europe, or another part of the world with a similar climate is unknown and cannot be verified.

There were also no clear deadlines with specific dates. Even when it was about summer, there was only one optimistic clarification—about the summer of 2024.

Another marker of the possible arrival of F-16s in Ukraine could be an abnormal long-range strike by russia on an airbase or airbases. However, the nighttime strike on July 31, while indeed abnormal in the number of assets used, consisted of only 89 drones and one Kh-59 missile.

The reasons for the refusal to carry out a combined strike remain unknown. Another anomaly of this strike, though positive, was its 100% effectiveness. Could this indicate the presence of F-16s that participated in repelling the attack and caused the enemy to alter their plans? It is possible, but not with absolute certainty.

Currently, there is no single fact that definitively proves the arrival of the long-awaited F-16s in Ukraine. However, in the modern information era, it is unlikely that the enhancement of the Ukrainian Air Force can remain a secret for long.