Ukraine army says U.S.-made F-16 fighter jet crashes, killing pilot
Ukraine said Thursday that one of its F-16 fighter jets made by the United States crashed while repelling a Russian air strike, killing the pilot onboard. A U.S. official confirmed to CBS News the F-16 crashed on Monday.
The announcement marks the first reported destruction of an F-16 in Ukraine, just weeks after Kyiv began taking delivery of the supersonic aircraft.
Initial reports are the plane wasn’t shot down by the Russians, CBS News has learned.
attack drones and missiles at Ukraine on Monday this week in what President Volodymyr Zelensky called one of the “largest” attacks of Russia’s two-and-a-half year invasion.
Earlier this month, Zelenskyy said the newly arrived F-16 fighter jets will boost the country’s war effort against Russia.
The American-made F-16 is an iconic fighter jet that’s been the front-line combat plane of choice for the NATO alliance and numerous air forces around the world for 50 years.
President Biden gave the go-ahead in August 2023 for used F-16s to be deployed to Ukraine, though the U.S. won’t be providing any of its own planes.
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Source: cbsnews.com