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Ukraine is set to receive additional support for its F-16 fighter fleet in the coming months, while the country has identified the first prototypes of weapons designed to counter Russia’s jet-powered Shahed drones, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on September 29.
Speaking after a meeting with the Defense Ministry, military officials and representatives involved in planning domestic arms production, Zelenskyy said Ukraine had approved its long-range operations plan for October and identified the equipment and ammunition needed for its F-16s through the end of the year.
“We approved our long-range operations for October. We also identified the directions for the necessary supplies for our F-16s until the end of the year. There are specific countries with which we are negotiating specific aviation packages. There will be reinforcement in the near future,” Zelenskyy said.
Ukraine is also working to expand its ability to intercept Russia’s increasingly fast jet-powered Shahed drones. Zelenskyy said several interceptor prototypes had already been tested in combat conditions and that Ukraine had selected systems that could form the basis of its future defenses.
“There are clear deadlines, funding and production volumes that must be ensured for this particular weapon,” Zelenskyy said.
Interceptors already used in combat
Zelenskyy said Ukrainian interceptor drones are already being used in combat, although their effectiveness remains below the required level.
“Every week should increase the percentage of shoot-downs. That is what will happen. We have set the tasks for October — specific production volumes,” he said.
The president said the development of interceptor systems had become a strategic priority for the Defense Ministry, the Armed Forces and Ukraine’s defense manufacturers.
Ukraine has been testing such systems for several weeks. Earlier this month, Zelenskyy said prototypes capable of countering jet-powered Shaheds had already been developed and that manufacturers were working to improve their effectiveness and scale up production.
F-16 supplies to be expanded
Kyiv is also negotiating additional support packages for its F-16 fleet. Zelenskyy said several partner countries were involved in discussions over aircraft-related equipment and supplies through the end of 2026.
Belgium separately announced on September 29 that it would provide Ukraine with three F-16 fighter jets by the end of the year, with Kyiv seeking to accelerate the transfer. Belgium and other partners, including Spain, have also supplied ammunition for Ukrainian F-16s.
The latest decisions come as Russia continues to deploy large numbers of attack drones, including faster jet-powered Shahed variants. Ukrainian officials have been seeking new interceptor technologies to reduce the pressure on conventional air-defense systems.
