Ukraine’s skies are empty except for F-16s—and the military doesn’t want civilians filming them
The Ukrainian Air Force is urging civilians to avoid filming F-16 jets, warning that such footage could provide crucial intelligence to Russian forces.
The Ukrainian Air Force has issued an urgent appeal to citizens to refrain from publishing videos of military aviation flights, with particular emphasis on F-16 fighter jets.
Military officials warn that social media posts featuring combat aircraft flyovers could provide critical intelligence to Russian forces. Even brief video clips released to the public domain might contain valuable information the enemy could exploit.
Air Force pilots face extreme danger daily, conducting combat missions in frontline areas where enemy air-to-air missiles and anti-aircraft systems pose significant threats. The statement emphasizes that any information revealing base locations, flight routes, or tactical maneuvers could enable Russian forces to target and destroy these aircraft.
“Video recordings of military aircraft flyovers in frontline areas—especially those of F-16 fighters—showing geolocation, notable landmarks, or objects, pose a particular threat,” the Air Force stated.
Since the Russian invasion began, Ukrainian airspace has remained closed to civilian traffic for three years. This means any aircraft visible in Ukrainian skies is almost certainly military in nature, making any footage particularly sensitive from a security perspective.
Read more:
- More F-16 jets arrive in Ukraine, Zelenskyy confirms
- Ukraine’s air force uses Mirage fighters against Russian missiles for the first time
- Belgium delays F-16 deliveries—Ukraine must wait for at least another year
- Ukraine’s F-16s deploy US missiles adapted to defeat Russian air tactics, TWZ reports
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