INCREDIBLE footage shows the first F-16 fighter jets being deployed over Ukraine to defend against Vladimir Putin’s attacks.
A pair of the daring aircraft could be seen soaring across the city of Odesa as they went off to fight the Russian enemy on the frontlines in what could be a historic turning point in the Ukraine war.
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The deployment of the powerful F-16s have prompted a Russian war channel to say the “hunt” for them begins now.
The Kremlin has reportedly put up a pricey bounty for destroying each individual jet and eliminating a Ukrainian pilot.
Ukraine say they now have 10 of the NATO-supplied planes in their war arsenal.
President Volodymyr Zelensky is said to be hoping for almost eight times as many jets in the coming months as they look to continue to stall Putin’s invasion.
The deployment of the F-16s is seen as one of the biggest boosts so far in the war for Ukraine.
F-16s are one of the prized Western weapons that Ukraine has been trying to seek 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 the Nato arsenal.
Last year, the US gave the go-ahead for allies to send Ukraine the long-awaited F-16 warplanes to fight Russia in the skies.
Footage of them in action first appeared as the country marked its annual Air Force Day.
Speaking at the event Zelensky said: “F-16s are in Ukraine. We did it.
“I am proud of all our guys who master these planes and have already started using them for our state. I thank our team for this result.
“I thank all the partners who are really helping with the F-16 and the first countries that accepted our request for aircraft – Denmark, the Netherlands, the United States – and all our partners.
“We appreciate your support.”
Back in March, Putin sent out a chilling warning to Nato that any F-16 jets supplied by the West will be blown out of the sky.
The dictator vowed attacks on Nato airfields if Ukraine used them to launch the game-changing supersonic fighters against Russia.
During a visit to a military training facility in Torzhok, Putin told airforce pilots that F-16s are “carriers of nuclear weapons” – and Russian forces would completely destroy them just like any other military equipment.
How F-16s could help Ukraine
F16s could completely change the war due to their sophisticated systems, allowing the brave jet pilots to “see the whole picture from above”.
The Fighting Falcon’s are referred to by experts as a ‘Lego Kit’ due to their versatility and ability to be upgraded and serviced cheaply – ideal in times of war.
So too is their “game-changing” ability to travel at 1,350mph and carry 17,000lbs worth of missiles and bombs.
The Ukrainian Air Force is currently reliant on ageing Soviet-era jets that have struggled against Moscow’s more modern air force and air defences.
F-16s are highly manoeuvrable fighter jets that Kyiv say will be capable of supporting Ukraine’s ground troops and defending civilians from Russia’s crippling missile attacks, including drones.
Ukraine’s foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba laid out the five essential reasons his country needs the war planes.
Firstly, “Ukraine requires modern jets to strengthen our air and missile defenses, save lives, and protect civilians,” he warned, adding that it will allow them to shoot down missiles long before they kill someone.
Secondly, he says: “F-16s will allow us to control our skies, protect our troops, reduce their losses, and increase the chances of our pilots surviving dogfights.”
The next is ensuring the security of the Black Sea corridor so all future grain exports can move freely.
He also believes that the use F-16s in active combat will help to educate the US Air Force on their plane’s capabilities “without putting any American lives in danger.
“Ukrainian aces will turn Top Gun fiction into reality.”
And lastly, he insists that the planes will secure the victory of Ukraine 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 obliterated one of Putin’s prized Black Sea submarines in an impressive attack on occupied Crimea.
Kyiv forces said the prized Kilo-class Rostov-on-Don vessel, worth £275 million, was hit in a missile barrage on the Sevastopol port.
Ukraine’s attack on Friday also “significantly damaged” four of Putin’s ultramodern S-400 air defence systems – worth in total around £2 billion.
Kyiv claimed the missile barrage also targeted four vital launches of Russia’s “Triumf” air defence system.
The Kilo-class Rostov submarine – used to fire calibre class missiles on Ukraine – had been hit in September last year, but was then repaired.
It was due to go back into service when Ukraine staged the lethal strike on Friday night.
Ukrainian forces used deadly US-made ATACMS missiles for the hit.
The mammoth sub was on sea trials in the water around Sevastopol when it was sunk, according to reports.
Kyiv is known for its impressive targeting of Russian naval targets amid Putin’s illegal war in Ukraine and the sub marks a big milestone for Zelensky’s forces.
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