- Ukraine experiences the loss of an F-16 fighter aircraft, resulting in the demise of its pilot.
A Ukrainian F-16 fighter jet, fresh off the battleground, encountered issues during Monday's intense Russian aerial assault, as per the military's statement. Regrettably, the pilot didn't make it, a fact confirmed by the Ukrainian General Staff in Kyiv, aligning with U.S. media reports. The newly acquired aircraft, manufactured in the U.S., demonstrated its worth in the skirmish, taking down four Russian missiles. But, connection was lost with one of the jets during its journey to the next target. "It went down, the pilot didn't survive."
Ukraine's Air Force verified that the fallen pilot was Oleksij Mes, also known by his call sign Moonfish, one of the initial Ukrainians to be trained on the F-16. His burial occurred today. Following a prolonged wait, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy introduced the first units in early August. As per "Wall Street Journal"'s U.S. reports, these were six ex-Dutch combat aircraft that were previously in service.
The European Union expressed its condolences over the loss of Ukrainian F-16 pilot Oleksij Mes during the Russian aerial assault. Ukraine has requested additional military support from the European Union in light of the ongoing conflict.
