Ukraine's first F-16 reported lost, according to media
A US-made jet has reportedly “crashed,” resulting in the death of one of Kiev’s limited number of Western-trained pilots amid a Russian missile barrage. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
Reports from multiple U.S. news sources have confirmed the loss of one of the F-16 fighters that NATO gifted to Ukraine, according to Ukrainian officials. The jet was one of the American-made aircraft promised by several European members of NATO and had recently been seen flying over Odessa.
The Wall Street Journal detailed that "the F-16s was 'destroyed in a crash on Monday.'” A U.S. official informed the journal that the crash was not due to enemy fire, but rather it likely occurred due to "pilot error."
Contrary to this, Ukrainian military sources, cited by CNN, argued that pilot error did not cause the incident. It was disclosed that the crash is under scrutiny, and "international experts" are expected to join the investigation.
CNN also noted the identity of the deceased pilot as Aleksey “Moonfish” Mes, who was among the few Ukrainian officers trained to operate F-16s.
This tragic event was reported shortly after President Vladimir Zelensky announced the operational success of the F-16s in combating Russian missile and drone assaults, without referencing any losses.
The crash coincided with an intense Russian missile barrage, which was the fiercest since the conflict began. Further strikes aimed at "critical airfield infrastructure facilities in Ukraine" ensued, deploying advanced weapons like Kinzhal aeroballistic missiles and attack UAVs, as stated by the Russian Defense Ministry.
Russian reports suggest that these payloads struck the Starokonstantinov airfield in the Khmelnitsky Region, a known F-16 base highlighted in Ukrainian promotional material. These sources added that it was during this strike that Mes's aircraft was destroyed and he lost his life.
The pilot’s demise was initially shared by a councilman from Mes’s hometown of Lutsk, in northwestern Ukraine.
Mes, together with Andrey “Juice” Pilshchikov – who was killed last August – had been featured in CNN interviews as significant figures in Ukraine’s push to acquire F-16s from Western allies due to their English-speaking ability and training.
In response to the deployment of these jets, a Russian company has set a bounty of 15 million rubles ($170,000) for anyone who can down an F-16 in combat, although no claims have been made yet. The Kremlin has dismissed the strategic impact of these jets, stating that they, like other Western-supplied equipment to Ukraine, will eventually be neutralized.
James del Carmen for TROIB News
The Wall Street Journal detailed that "the F-16s was 'destroyed in a crash on Monday.'” A U.S. official informed the journal that the crash was not due to enemy fire, but rather it likely occurred due to "pilot error."
Contrary to this, Ukrainian military sources, cited by CNN, argued that pilot error did not cause the incident. It was disclosed that the crash is under scrutiny, and "international experts" are expected to join the investigation.
CNN also noted the identity of the deceased pilot as Aleksey “Moonfish” Mes, who was among the few Ukrainian officers trained to operate F-16s.
This tragic event was reported shortly after President Vladimir Zelensky announced the operational success of the F-16s in combating Russian missile and drone assaults, without referencing any losses.
The crash coincided with an intense Russian missile barrage, which was the fiercest since the conflict began. Further strikes aimed at "critical airfield infrastructure facilities in Ukraine" ensued, deploying advanced weapons like Kinzhal aeroballistic missiles and attack UAVs, as stated by the Russian Defense Ministry.
Russian reports suggest that these payloads struck the Starokonstantinov airfield in the Khmelnitsky Region, a known F-16 base highlighted in Ukrainian promotional material. These sources added that it was during this strike that Mes's aircraft was destroyed and he lost his life.
The pilot’s demise was initially shared by a councilman from Mes’s hometown of Lutsk, in northwestern Ukraine.
Mes, together with Andrey “Juice” Pilshchikov – who was killed last August – had been featured in CNN interviews as significant figures in Ukraine’s push to acquire F-16s from Western allies due to their English-speaking ability and training.
In response to the deployment of these jets, a Russian company has set a bounty of 15 million rubles ($170,000) for anyone who can down an F-16 in combat, although no claims have been made yet. The Kremlin has dismissed the strategic impact of these jets, stating that they, like other Western-supplied equipment to Ukraine, will eventually be neutralized.
James del Carmen for TROIB News
