An F-16 fighter jet crashed while repelling a large-scale Russian missile and drone attack on Ukrainian cities on August 26.
Just three weeks after the first American-made aircraft arrived in Ukraine, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces confirmed the loss of the first of them to die as a result of the crash. The cause of the accident is being investigated.
Crash versions
“During the air battle, the F-16 aircraft demonstrated their high efficiency by four cruise missiles of the enemy were shot down by onboard weapons,” the General Staff said in a statement. — While approaching the next target, contact with one of the aircraft was lost. Later, the plane crashed and the pilot died.”
Earlier, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing a source, that the plane was not shot down by the enemy, but crashed, probably due to pilot error.
Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky said that on Monday, August 26, Kyiv used the F-16 for the first time to shoot down Russian missiles and drones.
The Air Force of the Ukrainian Armed Forces then reported 236 air attack weapons – 127 missiles and 109 attack drones – with which Russian troops attacked Ukraine. They managed to shoot down 102 missiles, including a Kinzhal, and 99 drones.
The Ukrainian military command is considering various versions of the downing of the F-16 fighter, including both pilot error and “friendly fire” from its air defense, the Ukrainian service of the Voice of America reported, citing a unnamed representative of Ukrainian Air. Force.
“But the exact reasons will be known only after the investigation is completed,” the journalists quoted their source as saying.
Death of the pilot
Lutsk Mayor Igor Polishchuk reported this week the death of pilot Alexei Mes. After news of the loss of the F-16 emerged, the Ukrainian Armed Forces Air Force confirmed that Mes had died on August 26 while repelling a massive Russian combined missile and air strike.
Mes was one of the first Ukrainian pilots to undergo F-16 training. His call sign is Moonfish, he often appears in the media and visits Washington, lobbying for the sending of fighter jets, the WSJ wrote. The Air Force said in a statement that the pilot, at the cost of his own life, destroyed three cruise missiles and an attack UAV.
The news that one of Ukraine’s few F-16s had gone was a major blow to Kyiv, which had been asking for the planes for months before US President Joe Biden last year gave the green light to European countries to supply the fighters, says the WSJ. .
Source: korrespondent
I am David Wyatt, a professional writer and journalist for Buna Times. I specialize in the world section of news coverage, where I bring to light stories and issues that affect us globally. As a graduate of Journalism, I have always had the passion to spread knowledge through writing.