The recent appearance of F-16 fighter jets in the skies above Ukraine is a victory for all Ukrainians, and particularly for the relatively small group of people who worked tirelessly to promote the idea of delivering the planes. The push to secure F-16s began as a grassroots effort initiated by Ukrainian civil society and the military, before being taken on by the country’s political leadership. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was then able to convince Ukraine’s allies to create an F-16 coalition. In many ways, the process was a great example of teamwork involving different segments of Ukrainian society.
Ukraine’s efforts to persuade partner countries focused on the US, which had to grant permission as the manufacturer of F-16s. Ukrainian pilot Andriy Pilschikov deserves a special mention for the key role he played in the campaign to win American backing. A fluent English speaker and experienced air force pilot known to many by his callsign “Juice,” Pilschikov became the unofficial public face of Ukraine’s appeal for F-16s. Crucially, he was able to articulate why the F-16 was the best choice for Ukraine, arguing that it was the most widely available modern jet and relatively easy to use.
In the initial months of Russia’s full-scale invasion, there was no consensus over which aircraft Ukraine should request from the country’s allies. Various Ukrainian government officials mentioned a range of different models, leading to some confusion. Pilschikov provided much-needed clarity and managed to convince everyone to focus their efforts specifically on the F-16. With support from Ukrainian civil society, he personally travelled to the US and established productive relationships with a number of US officials and members of Congress…
Voice of Ukraine 