Official announcements from the Ukrainian government or defense ministry, credible news sources

Ukrainian F-16 Crashes on August 26, Likely Due to Pilot Error, Killing Top Pilot

Aug 29, 2024, 03:06 PM

A Ukrainian F-16 fighter jet was destroyed in a crash on August 26 at the Ivano-Frankivsk airfield, just weeks after the first American-made aircraft arrived in Ukraine. The crash occurred during a massive Russian missile barrage, and initial reports suggest it was likely due to pilot error rather than enemy fire. Lieutenant Colonel Oleksii Mes, a top Ukrainian pilot, was killed in the incident. The Ukrainian Air Force has confirmed the crash and the death of the pilot. Mes, who was among the first Ukrainians trained to fly the F-16s, had recently returned from training in Denmark. Ukraine had received a total of six F-16s.