Ukraine has confirmed that one of the few F-16 fighter jets provided by its Western allies in the fight against Russia’s invasion has crashed during a major Russian airstrike. The incident, which took place on Monday, resulted in the death of the pilot and occurred as Russia fired over 200 missiles and drones in one of its largest bombardments during the conflict.
This incident marks the first reported crash of an F-16 in Ukraine, coming just weeks after Kyiv began receiving the aircraft. According to Ukrainian military sources, at least six F-16 jets have been delivered. “F-16 aircraft from the Ukrainian defense were used to intercept a missile attack from the Russian Federation, alongside units of the air defense missile troops,” stated the Ukrainian army in a press release.
However, communication was lost with the F-16s as they neared their next target. “As it later turned out, the aircraft crashed, resulting in the loss of the pilot,” the military added. The deceased pilot was identified as Oleksiy Mes, confirmed by a unit of Ukraine’s air defense. “Oleksiy saved Ukrainians from deadly Russian missiles. Unfortunately, this came at the cost of his own life,” said the air command.
Mes, known by his call sign “Moonfish,” traveled to the United States as part of Ukraine’s efforts to persuade the U.S. and other NATO allies to send F-16 jets. The U.S. approved the plan in 2023, and the first aircraft arrived in Kyiv at the end of July. Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Norway have committed to delivering over 60 F-16 jets to Ukraine, but Russia’s jet fleet is roughly ten times larger.
Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense has launched an investigation into Monday’s crash. An American defense official told Reuters that the crash did not appear to be caused by Russian fire, and possible causes, including pilot error or mechanical failure, are being investigated. Russia has continued its airstrikes against Ukraine since Monday’s attack.
On Thursday, Ukraine’s Air Force reported that the air defense successfully intercepted two out of five Russian missiles and 60 of the 74 Shahed drones that were launched. Authorities in the capital city of Kyiv reported that debris from the destroyed drones fell in three districts of the city, but no damage was reported.
Ukraine claims that it needs at least 130 F-16 jets to effectively neutralize Russian air power. The F-16 fighter jets can fly at speeds of up to twice the speed of sound and have a maximum range of 3,200 kilometers (approximately 1,980 miles). They are also capable of firing modern weapons used by NATO countries.