NEW DELHI: A US-made F-16 fighter jet provided to Ukraine crashed on August 26, resulting in the death of its pilot, Oleksiy Mes, known by his call sign “Moonfish,” according to several US media reports on Thursday.
The crash occurred amid a massive Russian aerial assault on Ukraine, involving over 200 missiles and drones targeting civilian and energy infrastructure across the country.
A report by CNN, citing a source within the Ukrainian Defence Forces, stated that the pilot died while “repelling the largest-ever aerial attack” by Russia against Ukraine. The pilot was laid to rest on Thursday.
The cause of the crash is currently under investigation, with international experts expected to participate in the probe. The incident is believed to have been caused by pilot error rather than enemy fire, the source told CNN.
The F-16 was among the first of such jets delivered to Ukraine earlier in August, part of a broader effort to enhance Ukraine’s air capabilities amidst its ongoing conflict with Russia.
President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the deployment of F-16s in countering the Russian attacks, which successfully intercepted numerous missiles and drones during the assault.
On August 26, Russian missiles and drones heavily targeted Ukraine’s power grid across 15 regions, resulting in at least four casualties and causing damage to the Kyiv Hydropower Power Plant as well as several other generation and transmission facilities.
