Ukraine loses third F‑16 in night battle with Russia
Ukraine lost another F-16 fighter jet while repelling a Russian attack. This is the third such incident.
What do you need to know?
- Ukraine lost an F-16 fighter jet while repelling a Russian attack during the night from Thursday to Friday. The Ukrainian air forces on Telegram provided this information.
- The pilot destroyed three aerial targets and was preparing to kill a fourth when an extraordinary situation occurred on board. The pilot ejected and was quickly found.
- The pilot's condition is satisfactory. He is in a safe location, and his health and life are not at risk. A commission has been appointed to explain the circumstances of the incident.
During the nighttime Russian attack, a Ukrainian F-16 fighter jet destroyed three aerial targets. The pilot was preparing to destroy the fourth when an "extraordinary situation" occurred on board. Facing the threat, the pilot decided to move away from populated areas and eject.
After ejecting, the pilot was quickly found and evacuated. His condition was described as "satisfactory," and he is in a safe location. The Ukrainian air forces confirm that the soldier’s health and life are not at risk.
What are the next steps regarding the incident?
A special commission has been appointed to explain the circumstances of this event. This is already the third instance of Ukraine losing an F-16, and in previous incidents, two pilots were killed.
The first F-16s arrived in Ukraine on July 31, 2024, and a coalition from Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands, and Belgium pledged to deliver approximately 60 aircraft.
