(Updated: )
One of the F-16 fighter jets recently delivered to Ukraine crashed while repelling a Russian mass attack, Ukraine's General Staff confirmed on Aug. 29.
The confirmation came after earlier media reports that the aircraft crashed during Russia's drone and missile strike on Aug. 26.
According to the military, the F-16 shot down four Russian cruise missiles during the attack, demonstrating "high efficiency."
"During the approach to the next target, communication with one of the jets was lost. As it turned out later, the plane crashed, the pilot was killed," the General Staff said.
The crash site was not disclosed.
Earlier the same day, Ukraine's Air Force announced that pilot Oleksii Mes with the call sign "Moonfish" had been killed on Aug. 26.
Kateryna Hodunova
"Oleksii destroyed three cruise missiles and one attack drone while repelling a massive Russian combined air and missile attack," the Western Air Command said.
Ukraine's Defense Ministry has established a special commission to investigate the causes of the crash.
Ukraine received its first F-16s by the beginning of August, a year after its allies formed the fighter jet coalition at the NATO summit in Vilnius to support Kyiv with training and aircraft.
Just 10 jets have been delivered so far, according to media reports. Kyiv has been promised at least 79 F-16s from the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, and Belgium.
Russia launched 200 missiles and drones on Aug. 26 as part of the largest-ever aerial attack against Ukraine.
Strikes hit several civilian, energy, and fuel facilities, including part of the Kyiv Hydroelectric Power Plant, killing seven people and injuring at least 47 others.
President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed on Aug. 27 that F-16 jets had been used to repel the attack on Aug. 26.
Ukraine downed 102 missiles and 99 drones of the 127 missiles and 109 drones launched by Russia during the morning attack.
