Ukrainian Air Force lost F-16 while repelling Russian attack
Photo: Ukrainian F-16 aircraft lost contact with the Ukrainian military (Vitaliy Nosach, RBC-Ukraine)
Last night, contact was lost with an F-16 aircraft that was involved in repelling a Russian air attack. The fighter jet pilot ejected and was evacuated, the Ukrainian Air Force Command reports.
"On May 16, 2025, at about 3:30 a.m. Kyiv time, we lost contact with the F-16 aircraft. The Ukrainian fighter was repelling a Russian air attack," the Ukrainian military said.
According to preliminary data, the Ukrainian pilot destroyed 3 Russian air targets and was already working on the 4th, using an aircraft cannon.
"However, an emergency arose on board. The pilot took the aircraft away from the settlement and successfully ejected. Thanks to the operational work of the search and rescue team, the pilot was quickly found and evacuated," the Communications Department of the Air Force Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported.
The pilot's health is reported to be satisfactory - he is in a safe place, his life and health are not in danger.
The Ukrainian Air Force added that a commission had been appointed to objectively clarify all the circumstances. It has already begun its work.
Other incidents with Ukrainian F-16s
In April, a 26-year-old Ukrainian pilot, Pavlo Ivanov, was killed while flying an F-16 mission.
Ukraine lost another F-16 in August 2024. It happened while repelling a massive Russian attack on August 26. The F-16 was shooting down Russian targets and lost contact when it entered a new target. As RBC-Ukraine previously reported, experienced pilot Oleksii Mes (Moonfish) was killed while repelling the massive Russian attack. Read more about him in the RBC-Ukraine article.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy posthumously awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine to pilot Oleksii Mes.
