A Ukrainian pilot has been killed when his F-16 fighter jet was hit while defending against Russian attacks, the Ukrainian air force reported early on Sunday.
The air force statement said that the pilot, a lieutenant colonel, did all he could to guide his stricken plane away from residential areas, but he failed to eject in time.
The pilot, born in 1993, reportedly downed seven targets before being hit.
“Unfortunately, we have suffered another painful loss,” the air force statement said.
According to the report, Russia launched more than 500 drones, missiles and cruise missiles at Ukrainian territory overnight, causing injuries and severe damage to civilian infrastructure.
The loss of pilots trained in the West on US F-16 fighter jets is seen as highly significant for Ukraine. Losses from F-16 squadrons have been relatively rare to date.
Ukraine has been warding off Russia’s full-scale invasion since February 2022.
