Half of Ukraine's F-16 fighters stuck in European repair depots — Zelensky

Approximately half of Ukraine's fleet of F-16 fighter jets has been in Europe for repairs and maintenance for prolonged periods, with some aircraft taking so long that Ukraine is losing precious time when the planes are most needed for air defense, President Volodymyr Zelensky told the Financial Times.

F-16s effective but scarce

Zelensky said the F-16 jets have proven effective against new Russian drones equipped with jet engines, a threat that has emerged in recent months. However, with a significant share of the fleet grounded for maintenance in European facilities, Ukraine has fewer aircraft available for active air-defense missions than planned.

Urgent need for faster turnaround

The president's remarks highlight a critical bottleneck in Ukraine's air power capability. Ukraine received its first F-16s from Western partners in 2024 but maintaining the Western-standard jets requires highly specialized facilities that are mostly located in Europe, not Ukraine. Kyiv is pressing its partners to accelerate the maintenance cycle and return aircraft faster.