INCREDIBLE footage shows the first F-16 fighter jets being deployed over Ukraine to defend against attacks by Vladimir Putin.
Two daring aircraft could be seen flying over the city of Odesa as they set out to fight the Russian enemy on the front line in what could be a historic turning point in the war in Ukraine.
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The deployment of powerful F-16s has prompted a Russian war channel to say that the “hunt” for them begins now.
The Kremlin reportedly offered a costly reward for the destruction of each individual jet and the elimination of a Ukrainian pilot.
Ukraine say they now have 10 of the planes supplied by NATO in their war arsenal.
President Volodymyr Zelensky is said to expect to have almost eight times as many planes in the coming months as he aims to continue to thwart Putin’s invasion.
The deployment of F-16s is seen as one of the biggest boosts so far in the war over Ukraine.
F-16s are one of the prized Western weapons that Ukraine has been trying to pursue for a long time.
The frighteningly fast Fighting Falcon F-16s travel at twice the speed of sound and are the second most advanced generation of jets in NATO’s arsenal.
Last year, the US gave its allies the green light to send long-awaited F-16 warplanes to Ukraine to combat Russia in the skies.
Images of them in action first appeared as the country celebrated Annual Air Force Day.
Speaking at the event, Zelensky said: “F-16s are in Ukraine. We achieved.
“I’m proud of all our guys who have mastered these planes and have already started using them in our state. I thank our team for this result.
“Thank you to all the partners who are really helping with the F-16 and to the first countries who accepted our order for the aircraft – Denmarkthe Netherlands, the United States – and all our partners.
“We appreciate your support.”
In March, Putin sent a chilling warning to NATO that any Western-supplied F-16 jets would be destroyed in the sky.
The dictator promised attacks on NATO airfields if Ukraine used them to launch revolutionary supersonic fighters against Russia.
During a visit to a military training center in Torzhok, Putin told air force pilots that F-16s are “carriers of nuclear weapons” – and Russian forces would completely destroy them like any other military equipment.
How F-16s could help Ukraine
The F16s could completely change warfare due to their sophisticated systems, allowing brave jet pilots to “see the whole picture from above”.
The Fighting Falcons are referred to by experts as a ‘Lego Kit’ due to their versatility and ability to be upgraded and maintained cheaply – ideal in times of war.
So does its “revolutionary” ability to travel at 1,350 mph and carry 17,000 pounds of missiles and bombs.
The Ukrainian Air Force currently relies on old Soviet-era jets that fought against Moscow’s more modern air force and air defenses.
The F-16s are highly maneuverable fighters that Kiev says will be capable of supporting Ukraine’s ground troops and defending civilians from Russia’s crippling missile attacks, including drones.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba outlined the five essential reasons why his country needs warplanes.
Firstly, “Ukraine needs modern jets to strengthen our air and anti-missile defenses, save lives and protect civilians”, he warned, adding that this will allow them to shoot down missiles long before they kill anyone.
Second, he says, “F-16s will allow us to control our skies, protect our troops, reduce their losses, and increase our pilots’ chances of surviving dogfights.”
The next step is to ensure the security of the Black Sea corridor so that all future cereal exports can flow freely.
He also believes that using the F-16s in active combat will help educate the U.S. Air Force about the capabilities of its plane “without putting any American’s life in danger.”
“Ukrainian aces will turn Top Gun fiction into reality.”
And finally, he insists that the planes will guarantee Ukraine’s victory and terrify Putin.
“F-16s in the hands of Ukrainian pilots will serve as a strong deterrent to any future Russian attempts to redraw borders in Europe.”
It comes as Ukraine destroyed one of Putin’s prized submarines in the Black Sea in a stunning attack on occupied Crimea.
Kiev’s forces said the prized £275 million Kilo-class Rostov-on-Don ship was hit by a barrage of missiles in the port of Sevastopol.
Ukraine’s attack on Friday also “significantly damaged” four of Putin’s ultra-modern S-400 air defense systems – worth a total of around £2 billion.
Kiev said the missile barrage also targeted four vital launches of Russia’s “Triumf” air defense system.
The Rostov Kilo-class submarine – used to fire Caliber-class missiles at Ukraine – was hit in September last year but was later repaired.
It was due to come back online when Ukraine carried out the deadly attack on Friday night.
Ukrainian forces used deadly US-made ATACMS missiles for the attack.
The giant submarine was undergoing sea trials in the waters around Sevastopol when it was sunk, according to reports.
Kiev is known for striking Russian naval targets impressively amid Putin’s illegal war in Ukraine and the submarine represents a major milestone for Zelensky’s forces.
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This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
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