"We have suffered another painful loss. An F-16 fighter jet crashed last night while countering a large-scale enemy attack, killing Lieutenant Colonel Maxim Ustimenko, born in 1993," the Ukrainian Air Force Command said today.

The Ukrainian Air Force confirmed the pilot used all the weapons on the F-16 and shot down 7 targets. "While attempting to take down the final target, the fighter was damaged and lost altitude. Ustimenko did everything possible, trying to steer the aircraft away from residential areas and didn't have time to eject," the statement said, but didn't specify the cause of the crash.

The Russian Ministry of Defense has not commented on the information.

A Ukrainian F-16 fighter jet in a photo released in August 2024. Photo: Ukraine Ministry of Defense

A Ukrainian F-16 fighter jet in a photo released in August 2024. Photo: Ukraine Ministry of Defense

This is the 4th Ukrainian F-16 fighter jet lost in combat since the aircraft began participating in the war in August 2024.

The first jet crashed less than a month after being deployed in Ukraine, the second was hit by a Russian missile on 12/4, both incidents resulting in the death of the pilots. The third jet crashed "due to an unusual situation" while responding to a Russian attack on 16/5; the pilot ejected and was rescued safely.

Colonel Yuri Ignat, press secretary of the Ukrainian Air Force Command, stated earlier in June, "It's important to understand that fighter jets being shot down is a normal occurrence in conflict. Losses are inevitable in high-intensity combat, and the F-16 is no exception. The important thing is that Ukraine is strengthening its forces."

Nhu Tam (Reuters, AFP)