Ukraine says US-made F-16 fighter jet crashed, killing pilot | Russia-Ukraine warfare Information

The crash is the primary involving in an F-16 since they started arriving in Ukraine late final month.

Ukraine has introduced that considered one of a handful of F-16 fighter jets given by its Western allies to struggle Russia’s invasion crashed whereas repelling a significant Russian aerial assault.

The pilot was killed within the incident, which happened on Monday after Russia launched greater than 200 missiles and drones in considered one of its greatest bombardments of the warfare.

It’s the first reported destruction of an F-16 in Ukraine, and comes simply weeks after Kyiv started taking supply of the planes.

At the least six of the plane are believed to have been delivered.

“F-16 fighters of the Armed Forces of Ukraine have been used to repel a missile assault on the territory of Ukraine by the Russian Federation, together with items of anti-aircraft missile troops,” the Ukrainian military stated.

It added that communication with the F-16 was misplaced because the planes approached their subsequent goal.

“Because it turned out later, the plane crashed, killing the pilot,” the navy stated.

The assertion didn’t title the pilot, however a unit of Ukraine’s air drive stated considered one of its pilots, Oleksiy Mes, had died in a crash on Monday.

“On 26 August, whereas repelling a Russian large mixed missile and air strike, Oleksiy destroyed three cruise missiles and one assault drone,” Ukraine’s Western air command unit stated.

“Oleksiy saved Ukrainians from lethal Russian missiles. Sadly, at the price of his personal life,” it added.

Investigation beneath method

Mes, identified by his name signal Moonfish, travelled to the US as a part of Ukraine’s efforts to persuade the USA and different NATO allies to ship F-16s.

The US authorised the plan in 2023 and the primary plane arrived in Kyiv in late July. Belgium, Denmark the Netherlands and Norway have dedicated to offering Ukraine with greater than 60 F-16s. Russia’s jet fleet, nevertheless, is about 10 instances larger.

Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence opened an investigation into Monday’s crash.

A US defence official advised the Reuters information company that the crash didn’t seem like the results of Russian hearth, and potential causes from pilot error to mechanical failure have been being investigated.

Russia has continued its aerial bombardment of Ukraine since Monday’s assault.

On Thursday, Ukraine’s air drive stated air defences stopped two out of 5 Russian missiles and 60 of the 74 Shahed drones that have been fired. It stated the 14 different drones are presumed to have fallen earlier than reaching their goal.

Authorities within the capital, Kyiv, stated the particles of destroyed drones fell in three districts of town, however there have been no accidents.

Ukraine says it wants at the least 130 F-16s to neutralise Russian air energy.

F-16s can fly as much as twice the pace of sound and have a most vary of three,200 kilometres (greater than 2,000 miles). They’ll additionally hearth trendy weapons utilized by NATO nations.