F-16 pilot killed during ‘combat mission'
'combat mission,'
bringing the tally of such losses in the conflict with Moscow to two.
It was first announced by the country's Air Force, which praised its F-16 pilots for their work in
'extremely complicated conditions.'
Ukraine's Vladimir Zelensky confirmed the loss in a separate statement later in the day, adding that Kiev has been working to establish
'all the circumstances'
of the incident. Captain Pavlo Ivanov was killed
'during an F-16 combat mission,'
Zelensky stated.
The Ukrainian leadership appeared to send mixed messages on what brought the jet down, with Zelensky vowing a
'strong and precise'
response, implying Russia was to blame. The Air Force, however, said an interdepartmental commission had been established to investigate. A clear combat loss would hardly merit such a probe, suggesting Kiev suspects friendly fire.
READ MORE:
Western F-16s 'can't compete' with Russian Su-35s – Ukrainian Air Force
It marks the second confirmed loss of an F-16 in Ukraine. The first one was destroyed and its pilot killed under unclear circumstances last August, shortly after the US-made aircraft were first deployed to the country. The incident triggered a lengthy investigation, although its results were never announced. Multiple media reports, however, indicated the plane was likely shot down by Ukraine's own anti-aircraft defenses.
The incident comes a month after Ukrainian Air Force spokesperson Yuri Ignat bemoaned the capabilities of the older variants of the F-16 Ukraine received from its backers, claiming it cannot fully compete with Russia's Su-35 in aerial combat.
'The variants that Ukraine has cannot compete one-on-one in an air battle. We need a comprehensive approach, as the Su-35 is a relatively new jet…'
Ignat said.
'This includes ground-based air defense, electronic warfare systems, and, ideally, an airborne radar. Also crucial are onboard radars for our aircraft and air-to-air missiles.'
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