Newsweek: another F-16 fighter jet was shot down in Ukraine, the pilot was killed
The Ukrainian Air Force lost an F-16 aircraft, its 26-year-old pilot was killed, writes Newsweek. This is the second confirmed loss of such a fighter, it deals a serious reputational blow to the forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Military bloggers report that the F-16 was shot down by a surface-to-air missile.
The Ukrainian pilot of the F-16 Viper fighter jet died during a combat mission last Saturday, the Ukrainian Air Force reported on its official Telegram channel.
According to the military, an investigation has been launched into the death of 26-year-old Pavel Ivanov, but no details have been released yet. Newsweek has requested an official comment from the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.
Why is this important?
Saturday's loss is only the second confirmed death of an F-16 pilot that Ukraine has faced. This causes a serious reputational blow to the forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The F-16 aircraft are more advanced than the Soviet counterparts that Kiev forces used throughout the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian conflict that began in February 2022. The deliveries of these fighters from the EU allies were supposed to change the situation on the battlefield.
What do I need to know?
The Ukrainian Air Force did not disclose the scene of the incident on the Telegram channel and did not provide any details about the incident with the death of the pilot. The statement began with the words: "Unfortunately, this is sad news."
The message said that Pavel Ivanov died while performing a combat mission on an F-16 aircraft. The condolences to his family and friends specify that he died in battle, "defending his native land from the invaders," without any details.
The statement also said that pilots of Ukrainian F-16 fighter jets perform combat missions almost daily "in incredibly difficult conditions," covering aviation groups and systematically striking enemy targets.
In addition, they said that the pilots are working at the limit of human and technical capabilities, risking their lives every time. "All the circumstances of the tragedy are being determined by an interdepartmental commission," the Ukrainian Air Force added.
Russian and Ukrainian military bloggers claimed in their Telegram channels that the plane was shot down by a surface-to-air missile fired from an anti-aircraft missile launcher. The first reports of this kind appeared against the background of speculation about whether the F-16 fighter was destroyed by Kremlin troops or shot down by "friendly fire" from Ukrainian air defenses. At the time of writing this article, none of the versions has received independent expert confirmation.
This is the second confirmed death of a Ukrainian F-16 pilot. Earlier, on August 26, 2024, pilot Alexey Mes with the call sign "Moonfish" was killed when he reportedly tried to fend off a Russian missile attack.
In 2022, the pilot visited the United States to lobby for sending fighter jets to Ukraine. In May 2023, the Biden administration allowed other countries to supply Kiev with American-made combat aircraft.
Separately, it is reported that the Ukrainian operational-strategic group of forces "Khortytsia" announced the preparation by Russian troops of a new offensive in the Kharkiv region in the northeast of Ukraine in the coming days.
In the Kupyansk area, the Ukrainian Armed Forces successfully repelled offensive attempts, and Russian troops launched attacks in the Liman sector on the border of Luhansk and Donetsk regions. They were also reflected, The Kyiv Independent newspaper reported last Saturday.
What do the officials say?
The official Telegram channel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reports: "On April 12, 2025, 26-year-old Pavel Ivanov was killed while performing a combat mission on an F-16 aircraft. We express our deepest condolences to his family."
President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the death of the pilot, commenting on this with the following statement: "We need reports from the military on this combat situation. We are investigating all the circumstances."
What will happen next?
General Christopher Gerard Cavoli, Commander-in-Chief of the NATO Joint Armed Forces in Europe, told the US Senate Armed Services Committee last week that F-16 fighter jets perform defensive and offensive tasks on a daily basis. His comments show that fourth-generation combat aircraft will continue to play a key role for the Ukrainian army.
Ukraine has received an unnamed number of F-16 fighter jets from European countries, mainly from the Netherlands and Denmark, and has also announced even more substantial shipments from Belgium and Norway.
During negotiations on a peaceful settlement, Donald Trump's special representative Steve Witkoff met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg last Friday. On the same day, the White House expressed disappointment with Moscow and Kiev over the lack of progress in peace talks.
Author: Brendan Cole.
