Ukraine Loses Fourth F-16 Fighter Jet in Combat Mission

Ukraine has lost its fourth U.S.-supplied F-16 fighter jet this year, with the latest crash occurring during a night combat mission to intercept a Russian air assault.

The pilot, Lieutenant Colonel Maksym Ustymenko, was killed in the incident, according to the Ukrainian Air Force.

The official Telegram channel of the Ukrainian Air Force reported that Ustymenko, a 1st class pilot born in 1993, deployed all onboard weapons and downed seven aerial targets before his aircraft was critically damaged. Despite his efforts to steer the jet away from a populated area, he was unable to eject in time.

This is reportedly the fourth F-16 fighter jet lost by Ukraine’s Air Force and the third in the past three months. Three pilots have now died operating F-16s in combat situations since their delivery to Ukraine in 2024.

In May 2025, a pilot survived an ejection following an attack. In April, 26-year-old pilot Pavlo Ivanov died during a mission and was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine. Another pilot, Oleksiy Mes, died in August 2024 in similar circumstances.

Russian sources have also commented on the issue, raising questions about the preparedness of Ukrainian pilots and the condition of the aircraft. Sergey Lipovoy, chairman of the presidium of the All-Russian organization Officers of Russia and a decorated Hero of the Russian Federation, told broadcaster Zvezda that Ukrainian pilots are “half-trained” and not fully prepared to operate the F-16s.

"The training is symbolic. The F-16 is a complex aircraft, and to fly and fight in one requires extensive experience,” Lipovoy said. “The machines Ukraine receives are from the 1980s and have largely exceeded their service life.”

Lipovoy dismissed claims that F-16s are highly survivable, stating, “It’s a myth. Our air defense systems and fighters continue to shoot them down.”

Ukrainian authorities have repeatedly stated that their pilots face extreme risk daily, both in attacking ground targets and repelling aerial threats. “Despite everything, our pilots heroically perform combat missions, achieving maximum results,” said the Air Force press service.