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Ukraine's Air Force announces death of pilot after WSJ reports F-16 crash

by Elsa Court and The Kyiv Independent news desk August 29, 2024 5:54 PM

(Updated: August 29, 2024 7:14 PM) 3 min read

An F-16 fighter aircraft performs during the Antidotum airshow in Leszno, Poland on June 22, 2024. (Sergei GAPON/AFP via Getty Images)

This audio is created with AI assistance

Editor's note: Ukraine's military confirmed later on Aug. 29 that an F-16 had crashed on Aug. 26.

Ukraine's Air Force announced on Aug. 29 that a pilot had been killed during Russia's mass attack on Aug. 26, shortly after the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that one of the recently delivered F-16 jets had been destroyed in a crash on the same day.

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.

While the jet was not downed by Russian fire, it did crash during Russia's mass attack on Aug. 26, the WSJ said.

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.

"The crash was likely a result of pilot error," the WSJ said. "The Ukrainian Air Force wouldn't confirm the crash or the status of the pilot."

Shortly after the WSJ report was published, the Ukrainian Air Force's Western Air Command announced that pilot Oleksii Mes had been killed on Aug. 26.

The funeral of Ukrainian Air Force pilot Oleksii Mes, who was killed on Aug. 26 while defending against a Russian mass missile and drone attack, on Aug. 29. (Western Air Command of the Ukrainian Armed Forces / Facebook)

"Oleksii destroyed three cruise missiles and one attack drone while repelling a massive Russian combined air and missile attack," the Western Air Command said.

"Oleksii saved Ukrainians from deadly Russian missiles. Unfortunately, at the cost of his own life." The lieutenant colonel's funeral was held on Aug. 29.

Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi posthumously awarded Mes the rank of colonel, Western Air Command said.

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.

Authors: Elsa Court, The Kyiv Independent news desk

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