Last night, contact was lost with an F-16 aircraft that was involved in repelling a Russian air attack.
Ukraine’s Air Force reported losing another F-16 fighter jet during a combat mission in the skies above Ukraine.
“On May 16, 2025, at around 3:30 a.m. local time [12:30 a.m. GMT], communication with an F-16 plane was lost. The Ukrainian fighter jet was carrying out a mission to repel an aerial assault when an emergency occurred on board. The pilot diverted the aircraft away from a residential area and ejected,” the military wrote on their Telegram channel.
According to the Air Force, the pilot was quickly found and evacuated; his condition is satisfactory. “A commission has been appointed to investigate the circumstances of the accident and has begun work,” the statement said.
According to preliminary data, the Ukrainian pilot destroyed 3 Russian air targets and was already working on the 4th, using an aircraft cannon.
This is the third F-16 that Ukraine has lost since the beginning of Russia’s special military operation.
The first one was likely shot down by a Patriot anti-aircraft missile as a result of a mistake.
The second one was lost in the skies over Ukraine while carrying out a mission to back up troops and repel a drone attack.
