President Zelenskyy confirmed that the first delivery of French Mirage fighter planes has arrived in Ukraine, accompanied by additional Dutch F-16s. Meanwhile, Russia has claimed to have successfully repelled a Ukrainian offensive in the Kursk region.

The Ukrainian Air Force has received a new batch of French Mirage 2000-5 and Dutch F-16 fighter planes, a development confirmed by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday.

"Ukraine's air fleet continues to develop," Zelenskyy shared on social media.

He added, "The first Mirage 2000 jets from France have arrived, bolstering our air defense capabilities. I thank [French President] Emmanuel Macron for his leadership and support. President Macron has kept his word, and we are grateful for that. This is another crucial step in strengthening Ukraine's security."

French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu also confirmed the delivery of the Mirage fighters. He stated, "Manned by Ukrainian pilots who have undergone training in France for several months, the jets will now join the efforts to defend Ukraine’s skies."

President Macron had initially pledged to provide Mirage aircraft to Ukraine in June 2024. However, neither Zelenskyy nor Lecornu provided details on the exact number of jets that had been delivered.

A French parliamentary budget report from last year suggested that the French Air Force was planning to send six of its 26 Mirage 2000-5 planes to Ukraine, although this number has not been officially confirmed or denied by the French Defense Ministry for security reasons.

Lecornu had previously explained that the French jets were modified to meet the specific needs of the conflict in Ukraine. These modifications included enhancing the planes with air-to-ground combat capabilities and anti-electronic warfare defenses to resist Russian jammers.

Additionally, Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov announced that the Netherlands had sent more US-made F-16 fighter planes, which he stated "will soon begin carrying out combat missions, strengthening our defense," alongside the French Mirage jets.

Zelenskyy also remarked, "With the latest deliveries, we continue to expand our F-16 fleet, with the Netherlands fulfilling its commitments to support this effort."

Several European countries have pledged to send American-made F-16s to Ukraine, including Norway. This support is particularly significant for Kyiv, especially amid concerns over the possibility of diminishing assistance from Washington under the administration of US President Donald Trump.

"I am grateful to everyone who helps and contributes to this effort," Zelenskyy concluded.