Ukraine's F-16 shot down by Patriot system, US refuses to comment
F-16 fighter jet shot down by Ukraine's Patriot air defense system
According to RIA Novosti, Ukrainian Parliament (Verkhovna Rada) member Maryana Bezuglaya said on Telegram channel on August 29 that the F-16 fighter jet was shot down by Ukraine's Patriot air defense missile system.
“According to my information, the F-16 of Ukrainian pilot Alexei Moonfish Mesya was shot down by the Patriot air defense missile system due to the coordination between the units,” said Maryana Bezuglaya.
On the US side, on the same day, Pentagon Deputy Spokesperson Sabrina Singh refused to confirm that Ukraine shot down a fighter jet with its own air defense system.
On August 29, the Wall Street Journal reported that one of the F-16 aircraft transferred by the US to the Ukrainian Armed Forces was shot down. It is known that this incident happened on August 26. This was later acknowledged by the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The Ministry noted that the cause of the emergency was determined by a special commission of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry, which worked in the area of the accident.
The Ukrainian publication Strana.ua reported that the Ukrainian Air Force has lost a fighter pilot who was training on the F-16. The pilot, Alexey Mes, died on August 26 while on a combat mission.
On the Russian side, commenting on the post of Ukrainian MP Bezuglaya, Ambassador-at-Large of the Russian Foreign Ministry Rodion Miroshnik called the destruction of the F-16 aircraft in Ukraine, which allegedly happened accidentally while using the Patriot system, a worthy start for the American “miracle weapon” in the hands of Kiev.