Ukraine Buys Swedish Fighter Jets as Putin Intensifies Air War | Vantage on Firstpost | 4K

Added: 2026-05-31

[00:00:00]Staying on the topic of weapons, Ukraine is getting a new fighter jet and Kyiv believes it could make a difference on the battlefield with Moscow. Sweden has agreed to provide the Gripen fighter jets to Ukraine. The aircraft is designed for a very specific kind of war. It can operate from highways and can be serviced quickly. It also does not need large airbases to keep flying.

[00:00:22]That makes it particularly attractive for a country facing regular missile and drone attacks.

[00:00:27]But will the new fighter jets be enough to change the balance in the sky?

[00:00:32]Here's a report.

[00:00:37]>> The war in Ukraine has entered its fifth year.

[00:00:41]Yet the skies above the country remain as dangerous as ever.

[00:00:45]Drones arrive in swarms. Missiles strike from hundreds of kilometers away.

[00:00:51]And every night brings the possibility of another attack.

[00:00:55]Now Kyiv is betting on a new weapon to help defend those skies.

[00:01:00]The Swedish Gripen fighter jet.

[00:01:03]Ukraine has announced plans to buy 20 new Gripen E aircraft from Sweden.

[00:01:08]Stockholm will also donate 16 Gripen C and D fighters from its own air force.

[00:01:14]Those donated aircraft are expected to arrive in 2027.

[00:01:18]The newer versions are scheduled to follow from 2030.

[00:01:22]The deal is part of a broader agreement.

[00:01:24]One that could eventually see Kyiv acquire up to 150 Gripens.

[00:01:32]>> This is a historic decision for Sweden, but one that also significantly strengthens Ukraine's air defense.

[00:01:41]>> So what makes the Gripen so important?

[00:01:45]The aircraft is designed by Swedish defense company Saab.

[00:01:49]It is known as a multi-role fighter.

[00:01:52]That means it can perform several missions using the same platform.

[00:01:56]It can engage enemy aircraft, carry out strikes against ground targets, and support wider air defense operations.

[00:02:06]But its biggest advantage may be flexibility.

[00:02:09]The Gripen can operate from highways and dispersed locations.

[00:02:13]It does not depend on large military airbases. The jet is also quicker to service than many competing aircraft.

[00:02:20]That makes it particularly useful for a country facing constant bombardment.

[00:02:25]>> These jets, Gripens, with specific weapons, especially meteors, missiles, and etc., which can destroy 200 km plus.

[00:02:35]So, we think that we will push out these jets, Russian jets, and they will not be able to use massively aerial bombs.

[00:02:46]>> Those comments reveal the bigger goal.

[00:02:48]Kyiv wants to push Russian aircraft farther from the front and reduce the threat from glide bombs.

[00:02:55]But fighter jets can only solve part of the problem because some of Russia's most dangerous weapons never enter a dogfight. They're launched from hundreds of kilometers away, and they arrive at extreme speed. The threat was visible once again over the weekend.

[00:03:13]Russia launched one of its largest aerial assaults on the Ukrainian capital.

[00:03:18]Officials said around 90 missiles and 600 drones were fired overnight.

[00:03:22]Among them was the Oreshnik missile.

[00:03:26]Moscow describes it as a next-generation ballistic weapon capable of traveling at around Mach 10.

[00:03:33]That is roughly 10 times the speed of sound. Its velocity leaves defenders with very little warning. The barrage killed civilians.

[00:03:42]Dozens more were wounded, and buildings across Kyiv were damaged.

[00:03:47]That is why Zelenskyy is pursuing another priority at the same time.

[00:03:52]More Patriot missile ammunition from the United States.

[00:03:56]Patriot missiles are among the few systems capable of intercepting advanced ballistic threats.

[00:04:01]Kyiv says existing supplies remain under pressure as Russian attacks continue.

[00:04:11]>> We need to live now, and we need to save people today.

[00:04:15]And today, right now, it is the United States that manufactures this ballistic defense.

[00:04:21]I started such conversations back with President Joe Biden.

[00:04:26]I will continue them with President Donald Trump.

[00:04:33]>> Taken together, these requests tell a larger story. Gripens can help contest the skies.

[00:04:39]Patriots can help shield cities, and both point to the same reality.

[00:04:45]More than 4 years after the war began, this conflict is no longer only about holding ground. It is increasingly becoming a test of endurance, industrial capacity, and how quickly allies can turn promises into military capability.

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[00:05:58]>> Mhm.