This photograph taken and released by the Ukrainian Presidential Press Service on Aug 20, 2023, shows Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte (right) shaking hands with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky (left) during their meeting at the Eindhoven Military Air Base in Eindhoven, the Netherlands. (PHOTO / AFP)

KYIV/ST. PETERSBURG/MOSCOW - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday that he had discussed the delivery of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte in a phone conversation.

"I spoke with Mark Rutte to thank the Dutch government for its decision to start preparing the initial 18 F-16 jets for their delivery to Ukraine," Zelensky said on social platform X, formerly known as Twitter.

Zelensky said that he also discussed with Rutte the developments in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the situation in the Black Sea, and Ukraine's current military needs, including artillery, drones, and air defense.

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After the phone conversation, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte wrote on X that certain criteria must be met before F-16 delivery to Ukraine can take place, including requirements for personnel and infrastructure

Zelensky and Rutte agreed to continue joint work on security guarantees for Kyiv and discussed Ukraine's Peace Formula at the next meeting.

After the conversation, Rutte wrote on X that certain criteria must be met before F-16 delivery to Ukraine can take place, including requirements for personnel and infrastructure.

The Netherlands, along with Denmark, Norway and Belgium, have pledged to transfer F-16 jets to Ukraine to help the country upgrade its combat aircraft fleet amid the conflict with Russia.

The F-16 training center for Ukrainian pilots opened in Romania last month.

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A Ukrainian member of an elite drone unit points out a Russian tank as a target during an attack in the outskirts of Kremmina, Ukraine, Aug 20, 2023. (PHOTO / AP)

Drones to deliver supplies, ammunition

Separately, unmanned aerial vehicles are used to deliver supplies and ammunition to the special military operation zone, the press service of the Russian Ministry of Defense reported.

According to the ministry, Russian forces actively use drones not only to conduct reconnaissance and destroy enemy, but to deliver water, food, communication equipment and ammunition to troops on frontlines of Russia-Ukraine conflict.

The ministry also said Russian air defense forces intercepted Ukrainian drones over three Russian regions on Friday.

Four drones were destroyed over the Kaluga region, and a fifth was destroyed over the Moscow region, according to the defense ministry.

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More attempts by Ukraine to carry out attack on Russian territory were stopped, the ministry said, adding that five more Ukrainian drones were destroyed over the Bryansk region throughout the day.