Ukrainian F-16 downs russian fighter jet for first time

During the hearing, Senior US Senator and Democratic Party member Richard Durbin asked what impact a possible three-year air defense funding cut would have on Ukraine, according to Ukrayinska Pravda.

"Mr. Senator, I want to emphasize that the incredible work that the Ukrainian industrial base is doing is expanding its capabilities. This ranges from their surface-to-air capabilities to their air-to-air capabilities," he said.

Kaine recounted a recent aerial combat in which a Ukrainian F-16 destroyed a Russian aircraft.

"We recently witnessed the first aerial combat in which a Ukrainian F-16 shot down a Russian fighter jet. "Over the past few years, thanks to the support of many partners, Ukraine has significantly strengthened its layered defense system," he said.

He emphasized that Ukraine's ability to scale up a multilayered defense has significantly increased over the past few years thanks to the support of its partners.

"Therefore, I think their ability to scale up a multilayered defense has come a long way over the past few years thanks to the help of many," he said.

Photo: Ukrainian Armed Forces