A Russian commander told the media that the US-made jet was brought down by an S-300 air defense missile system.
A Russian commander has said that his S-300 air defense battery shot down a US-made F-16 fighter jet operated by Ukraine.
In an interview aired on Russia-1 on Sunday, the commander, identified by the callsign Sever (North), told journalist Vladimir Solovyov that the American-supplied aircraft was “the most interesting target” his unit had encountered.
He said the battery fired two missiles at the F-16, with the first “damaging” the aircraft and the second “delivering the final blow.”
“It took us a lot of time to prepare for this operation. We were tracking it and anticipating it. The enemy boasted that these planes were indestructible. As it turns out, they fall out of the sky just like the rest,” Sever said. He did not specify when the downing occurred.
Ukraine began receiving F-16s in August 2024 and has since confirmed the loss of four aircraft in combat.
According to Business Insider, Kiev has officially received 44 of the 87 jets promised by its European backers.
