PARIS — Ukraine received the first Mirage 2000 fighter jets promised by France on Thursday, French Armed Forces Minister Sébastien Lecornu said, giving the country its second type of Western aircraft in addition to F-16 jets handed over by allies last year.

Ukraine has received the Mirage 2000 aircraft promised by France, which have now become a priority target on Russia’s list. The Ministry of Defense in Moscow has extended the $1 million reward for each such aircraft destroyed,

Ukraine’s Air Force got a boost in its fight against Russia on Thursday with the arrival of Mirage 2000-5 fighter jets from France, along with F-16s from the Netherlands.

Ukraine said on Thursday it had received a first batch of French Mirage 2000 fighter jets as well as U.S.-made F-16 fighters from the Netherlands as European allies seek to strengthen Kyiv's hand in its war with Russia.

Though the aircraft won't be enough to turn the tide in Kyiv's favor, they may make it that much harder for Russia to gain any further ground.

"With Ukrainian pilots trained for several months in France on board, they will now participate in defending Ukraine's sky," French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu said.

France has delivered the first batch of Mirage 2000-5 fighter jets to Ukraine, assisting Kyiv in defending its airspace against Russia. This delivery is part of France's military cooperation with Ukraine,

French Armed Forces released a video on Friday, 7 February, showing Ukrainian pilots training on Mirage 2000-5 aircraft, which recently arrived in Ukraine. Source: French Armed Forces on X (Twitter),