Ukraine says 1st F-16 fighter jet crashed killing pilot

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - Ukraine on Thursday announced the crash of an F-16 fighter jet recently delivered as part of a batch from the Western countries.

“On approach to a target, communication was lost with one of the F-16s. As it turned out later, the plane crashed, and the pilot died,” Ukraine’s General Staff said in a statement.

A special commission formed to investigate the incident is currently working on the crash site, it said.

Earlier in the day, media reports said the F-16 crashed due to pilot’s mistake.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Tuesday that his nation’s army for the first time used F-16 fighter jets on Monday to repel Russia’s strike.