Ukraine has begun using F-16 warplanes in combat as Russia has mounted a massive aerial assault on civilian infrastructure, according to a U.S. official.
F-16s are the most sophisticated weapon the U.S.-led coalition has supplied Ukraine in its war with Russia. The White House and Pentagon had resisted offering them, fearing that they would be seen as an escalation by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
U.S. allies supplied the fighter jets, and Ukrainian pilots have been training for months in the United States to fly them. The first F-16s arrived in Ukraine early in August. The official who confirmed their use in combat was not authorized to speak publicly.
The jets are capable of defending Ukrainian airspace from Russian incursions, shooting down drones and missiles and providing support for troops on the ground.
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