Ukraine had to wait for a long time for western F-16 fight jets. Now she has lost another jet. President Selenskyj also confirmed the pilot's death. The cause is unclear. It is the second deadly jet crash.
According to official information, a Ukrainian fighter pilot was killed in an assignment with a western f-16 fighter jet. “Today was killed in a fight in an F-16 captain Pawlo Iwanow,” confirmed President Wolodymyr Selenskyj. It is the second death of a Ukrainian F-16 pilot since the delivery of the fighter jets produced in the USA to Ukraine last summer.
Circumstances should be examined
The head of state expressed his condolences to the survivors of the 26-year-old and announced that they clarify the circumstances of death. Postally, Selenskyj Iwanow awarded the title “Held of Ukraine”.
The Ukrainian army did not provide any further information on the circumstances of fatal use. The Ukrainian service of the BBC reported on Saturday evening, citing government sources that the aircraft had been shot down by Russian rockets over the Sumy area in the northeast of Ukraine. The Russian military has now confirmed that he had shot down an F-16 fighter jet-without naming details about the place and time.
Second fatal jet crash
This would have lost Ukraine the second of the machines so valuable for Kyiv. In August 2024, Kiev announced that an F-16 crashed in the defense against a Russian rocket attack and the pilot was killed. After that, Selenskyj Air Force Chief Mykola Oleeschtschuk had released.
Ukraine received the first of the long-demanded F-16 fight jets in the summer of 2024. The machines were delivered by Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark and Norway. Later the Ukraine also received French Mirage aircraft. Kyiv uses the fighter jets primarily to defend Russian rocket and drone attacks.
