Ukrainian F-16 Destroyed in Crash Just Weeks After Arrival

According to the Journal, earlier this month, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the arrival of the first of 80 F-16s in the country. While the Ukrainian Air Force didn’t specify the number of aircraft received, a U.S. official confirmed a total of six had arrived with six Ukrainian pilots trained to operate them.

The cause of Monday’s crash remains unclear amid conflicting reports. The Journal suggested the crash was likely due to pilot error, as initial reports indicated the jet was not brought down by enemy fire. However, a Ukrainian military source told CNN that the Ukrainian Defense Forces do not believe pilot error was the cause.

CNN further reported that pilot Oleksiy Mes, known as “Moonfish,” was killed in the crash while defending against what was described as Russia’s largest aerial assault on Ukraine. Mes was one of the few pilots trained to fly the F-16.

According to the source, Ukrainian pilots began their training in the U.S. last fall, and while the standard training period is one year, Mes and the others completed it in just six months.

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on AVweb.