- Ukraine's new F-16s shot down missiles during Russia's massive strike on Monday.
- Zelenskyy confirmed the involvement of its new jets in repelling enemy missiles.
- Russia's missile and drone strike on Monday was one of the biggest of the war so far.
Ukraine's new F-16 fighter jets successfully shot down missiles during Russia's massive barrage on Monday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Tuesday.
The bombardment, which included over 100 missiles and a similar number of one-way attack drones, was one of the biggest of the war so far, with much of Ukraine targeted in the strike.
Zelenskyy confirmed the use of US-made F-16s by the Ukrainian Air Force to defend against the Russian strikes at the Ukraine 2024 Independence Forum in Kyiv on Tuesday. He noted that the fighter jets "performed well, helping to shoot down several missiles."
The Ukrainian President didn't provide additional details on how many jets were scrambled or how many missiles they shot down, but the use of F-16s marks a significant moment for Ukraine, which spent much of the war begging the West for fighter jets.
After their recent arrival, images of the jets showed them armed only with air-to-air missiles, indicating an initial air-defense role for Ukraine's new F-16s. And, indeed, in the latest attack, that is how the jets were used.
Ukraine said that Monday's massive Russian attack, which was comprised of cruise and ballistic missiles and drones, was aimed at a variety of critical infrastructure targets across the country, particularly its energy grid. At least four people were killed, and many more were injured.
After the attack on Ukraine, Zelenskyy again urged the US and other partners to allow Kyiv to use its Western-provided long-range weapons to strike into Russian territory, noting that the Russian strike was a reminder of the pressing need to use such weapons to target Russia "precisely at the locations from which they launch their attacks."
In response to Monday's strike, US President Joe Biden said that the US and its allies were "surging energy equipment to Ukraine to repair its systems and energy grid."