Kyiv confirmed that F-16 pilot Pavlo Ivanov was killed on a combat mission on Saturday; Russian sources claim this was a successful, planned attack.
The Kremlin has taken credit for shooting down a Ukrainian-operated F-16 Fighting Falcon while also claiming to have countered numerous drones and other missiles.
“Air defenses shot down a Ukrainian F-16 aircraft, eight JDAM guided aerial bombs, seven U.S.-made HIMARS missiles, and 207 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles,” the Russian Ministry of Defense said in a statement to Tass.
Kyiv confirmed that F-16 pilot Pavlo Ivanov was killed on a combat mission on Saturday. It is unclear where the F-16 or its twenty-six-year-old pilot was when the aircraft was lost, but the Ukrainian Air Force acknowledged Ivanov’s ultimate sacrifice.
“Ukrainian pilots work to the fullest extent of their human and technical capabilities, risking their lives every time they carry out a combat mission. Pavlo was one of them!” the Telegram post explained.
Russian President Volodymyr Zelensky also offered his condolences on X, writing, “Captain Pavlo Ivanov was tragically killed during an F-16 combat mission. The guy was only twenty-six. My condolences to his family and all of Pavlo’s brothers-in-arms,” and adding, “We are proud of our warriors. Our response will be strong and precise. Glory to Ukraine!”
Confirmed: A Second F-16 Shot Down
This marks the second confirmed F-16 loss in Ukraine. It comes about nine months after one of the NATO-provided, U.S.-made, multirole fighters was lost just weeks after arriving in the war-torn country. The incident was blamed on pilot error, possibly due to a lack of training on the Fighting Falcon.
Since the arrival of aircraft, which Denmark and the Netherlands donated, Russia has claimed on multiple occasions to have succeeded in shooting down one of the fighters.
In December, the Kremlin claimed to have shot down an F-16, just days before a propaganda video went viral on social media that also showed the Western Santa Claus being downed over Moscow with assistance from De Moroz, the Slavic version of Saint Nicholas or Father Christmas.
Kyiv did not confirm the loss of the F-16 in December, while NORAD previously confirmed Santa Claus completed his Christmas Eve delivery and returned safely to the North Pole!
In March, pro-Kremlin Telegram channels claimed without evidence that another F-16 was shot out of the sky by an S-400 Triumf air-defense system. Zelensky called that claim a lie.
Additional F-16s Arrived in Ukraine Last Month
Kyiv received a new shipment of Western-supplied fighters just weeks ago, but the total number and where they may be based were disclosed due to security reasons.
Zelensky had called for the aircraft since Russia launched its unprovoked invasion more than three years ago, and multiple NATO nations, including Denmark, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Norway, have pledged to provide the F-16s. In addition, the United States and the UK have provided pilot training, while additional training is offered at a facility in Romania.
The multirole F-16 has been employed in both offensive and defensive operations, intercepting Russian missions and drones while launching missiles and bombs at Russian positions.
In October, an F-16 also destroyed a Russian Sukhoi Su-34, marking the first air-to-air victory of a Ukrainian-operated Fighting Falcon in the ongoing war.
About the Author: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].
Image: Shutterstock/ miss.cabul.
