Ukraine announced today that it has received the first delivery of "Mirage 2000" aircraft. from France, as well as American F-16 fighter jets from the Netherlands, as European allies seek to bolster Kiev's position in the war with Russia, Reuters reported.
When Russia launched its full-scale invasion three years ago, Ukraine had only a largely outdated air force inherited from the former Soviet Union when it collapsed in 1991.
Now, facing a Russian offensive in the east and long-range air strikes, Ukraine has repeatedly urged its Western allies to supply it with increasingly advanced weapons and ammunition, including armored vehicles, tanks, long-range missiles and F-16 fighter jets.
"Mirage 2000" are the latest advanced fighter jets that Ukraine has received from its allies after the first F-16s arrived last summer, marking a major military milestone for the country.
President Volodymyr Zelensky praised France and the Netherlands for their commitment to helping modernize Ukraine's air force.
"These modern combat aircraft have already arrived in Ukraine and will soon begin performing combat missions, strengthening our defense and increasing our ability to effectively counter Russian aggression," said Defense Minister Rustem Umerov.
The exact number of F-16 and "Mirage 2000" fighters delivered was not disclosed.
The Dutch Ministry of Defense said that for security reasons it would not comment on the timing of these deliveries, nor the quantity sent at any one time.
The Netherlands has promised to deliver a total of 24 F-16 fighters to Ukraine, in addition to the planes it is sending to the training center for Ukrainian pilots and crews in Romania.
French officials also cited security concerns in declining to specify how many combat aircraft had been delivered, although they said the fighters had been adapted to allow air-to-ground strikes.
The Mirage 2000 is a single-engine, multirole jet fighter. In June last year, President Emmanuel Macron promised that France would train Ukrainian pilots to fly planes made by French aircraft manufacturer Dassault, marking a new step in military support for Kiev.
The Mirage fighter jet, which was replaced by the Rafale fighter jet in the French air force, was originally designed for close-range air combat.
A French parliamentary report from late 2024 said that of the 26 Mirage 2000 fighter jets in the French air force, six would be transferred to Ukraine.
On February 12, France will host a meeting with representatives of Ukraine, its main European allies, Britain and the United States, to discuss how to strengthen support for Kiev.