A Ukrainian F-16 fighter jet shot down a Russian Su-35 for the first time in the war, two years after the American-made plane arrived in the country, America’s top military leader said.
Gen. Dan Cain, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, told U.S. lawmakers on Tuesday that the planes America provided to Ukraine were a huge success.
“We recently had our first air strike when a Ukrainian F-16 shot down a Russian fighter,” Kane said Tuesday.
An F-16 fighter of the Ukrainian Air Force shot down a Russian plane in the sky for the first time in the entire war. AP
US and NATO allies donated these aircraft to Ukraine in 2024 to strengthen the country’s air defense. REUTERS
Although Kane did not identify the Russian plane, Ukrainian media reported that it was a Su-35 shot down in eastern Ukraine on July 8.
American-made F-16 fighters arrived in Ukraine in 2024. Nato allies have trained Kyiv pilots to fly the planes to bolster the country’s air defense against Moscow’s relentless bombing campaign.
F-16s have successfully intercepted Russian missiles and drones, but previous missile shortages have prevented the fighters from reaching their full potential.
But the July 8 strike represents a first of the war and a big leap for Ukraine’s defense and counteroffensive systems, Kane said.
It is reported that a Kyiv fighter shot down a Russian Su-35 aircraft. REUTERS
“I think their ability to scale their layered defenses has grown significantly over the last couple of years with the help and assistance of many,” he told lawmakers.
According to local media, Ukraine has a total of 39 F-16s in service after the loss of at least three Russian aircraft.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has touted the plane as one of the country’s most powerful and sought-after tools to defend against Moscow’s attacks.
Ukraine is currently in the process of receiving seven more F-16s from Belgium this year, and the ally is reportedly set to hand over its entire 43-plane F-16 fleet in the coming years.