---
title: "Zelenskyy: F-16s shoot down Russian jet drones, but half of the jets are under repair in Europe"
description: "President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that F-16 fighter jets effectively shoot down Russian jet drones, but about half of the aircraft are undergoing lengthy repairs in Europe."
date: 2026-10-02T08:38:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/zelenskyy-f-16-repair-europe-drones
tags: [f-16, zelenskyy, ukraine-war, aviation, russia-drones]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Zelenskyy: F-16s shoot down Russian jet drones, but half of the jets are under repair in Europe

![Ukrainian Air Force F-16 fighter jet in flight](https://xab.info/media/2026/10/02/zelenskiy-f-16-remont-evropa-drony/zelenskiy-f-16-remont-evropa-drony-1.webp)

## 🎯 Key Points

- F-16s effectively destroy new Russian jet-powered drones.
- About half of Ukraine's fighter jets are undergoing long-term repairs in Europe.
- Kyiv is pushing to relocate repair bases to Ukrainian territory to speed up logistics.

American F-16 fighter jets are demonstrating high efficiency in repelling attacks by new Russian jet-powered drones, protecting Ukraine's airspace. However, the combat capability of the Ukrainian Air Force is facing serious logistical challenges related to delayed maintenance and aircraft repairs.

### Logistics and Repair Challenges in Europe

According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in an interview with Financial Times, about half of the F-16s delivered by Western partners are currently undergoing long-term maintenance in European countries. The head of state emphasized that the return of some aircraft took an extremely long time, causing Ukraine to lose precious time during critical moments of air defense.

### Plans to Relocate Maintenance to Ukraine

Due to the current situation, official Kyiv is in active dialogue with Western allies to relocate repair bases and technical maintenance directly to Ukraine. According to the Ukrainian leadership, conducting routine maintenance and troubleshooting closer to the combat zone will significantly reduce aircraft downtime and return them to service much faster.

### Combating New Drones and Ammunition Supplies

In addition to logistical issues, the Ukrainian side continues to address the provision of necessary weaponry for the jets. Specifically, Kyiv aims to purchase tens of thousands of specialized 20mm rounds, which are effectively used to counter enemy jet drones. Earlier reports also indicated that Belgium plans to transfer three more F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine by the end of this year.

## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification

- [Зеленский: F-16 сбивают реактивные дроны РФ, но половина самолетов на ремонте в Европе](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/zelenskiy-f-16-zbivayut-reaktivni-droni-rf-1790929640.html) - Первоисточник заявления президента Украины для Financial Times.
- [Зеленский выразил недовольство долгим ремонтом F-16 в Европе](https://www.osnmedia.ru/politika/zelenskij-vyrazil-nedovolstvo-dolgim-remontom-f-16-v-evrope/) - Подтверждает тезис о недовольстве сроками ремонта.
- [Зеленский пожаловался на серьезную проблему с истребителями F-16](https://news.ru/europe/zelenskij-pozhalovalsya-na-sereznuyu-problemu-s-istrebitelyami-f-16) - Освещает логистические проблемы украинской авиации.
- [«Теряли время»: Зеленский взбесился ремонтом F-16 в Европе](https://www.mk.ru/politics/2026/10/02/teryali-vremya-zelenskiy-vzbesilsya-remontom-f-16-v-evrope.html) - Детализирует цитаты президента о потерянном времени.

## ❓ FAQ

### Q: How effective are F-16s against new threats?
**A:** The fighter jets are successfully used to intercept and destroy new Russian jet-powered drones.

### Q: Why have there been delays in aircraft repairs?
**A:** Maintenance and repairs are carried out at facilities in Europe, and logistical processes and returning the jets take too much time.