Ukraine Hit with Devastating Loss After Key Pilot Dies in American-Made F-16: Report
The ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia has intensified with the recent death of an important Ukrainian pilot, Oleksiy Mes, also known as “Moonfish.” Mes died while flying an American-made F-16 aircraft during a major Russian aerial assault. Reports indicate that Ukrainian Defense Forces do not believe pilot error caused the crash, which is currently under investigation with the involvement of international experts. Mes was one of the few Ukrainian pilots trained to operate the F-16s, which only arrived in Ukraine earlier this month. His loss is seen as a significant setback for Ukraine, especially as the country ramps up its counter-offensive against Russian forces. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been urging more extensive support from international partners to combat Russian aggression effectively.
The ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia has claimed another life — and this one is coming under a cloud of controversy.
According to a report from CNN, a Ukrainian military source has told the outlet that a key pilot died while flying in an American-made F-16 aircraft.
CNN further reported: “The Ukrainian Defense Forces do not believe pilot error was behind the incident, the source added.”
That same source noted that the “crash is being investigated and international experts will be invited to participate in the probe.”
A different report from the Associated Press, confirmed that “[o]ne of the handful of F-16 warplanes that Ukraine has received from its Western partners to help fight Russia’s invasion has crashed.”
The AP, however, did not report on the identity of the pilot who was in the crashed plane.
CNN did, and it paints a bleak picture for Ukraine, as the downed pilot was a critical part of the Ukrainian forces.
“Pilot Oleksiy Mes, known as ‘Moonfish,’ was killed in the crash while ‘repelling the biggest ever aerial attack’ by Russia against Ukraine,” CNN reported, citing the same source.
The source added that “Moonfish” was buried on Thursday.
Making matters so much worse for Ukraine?
“The death of the pilot is a major blow for Ukraine,” CNN reported. “The first F-16s only arrived in the country earlier this month, and Moonfish was one of the few pilots trained to fly them.”
CNN noted that the training of Mes and other Ukrainian pilots had to be expedited.
“While it can take years to get fully trained up to fly the planes, Moonfish and others had to do it in six months,” CNN reported.
The conflict, which has been ongoing for some time now but was sparked anew when Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, trudges on regardless.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke Wednesday about escalating his country’s counter-attacks on Russia.
“All our partners should be more active — much more active — in countering Russian terror,” Zelenskyy said, according to the AP. “We continue to insist that their determination now — lifting the restrictions on long-range strikes for Ukraine now — will help us to end the war as soon as possible in a fair way for Ukraine and the world as a whole.”
As recently as June, President Joe Biden had approved another $225 million in aid for Ukraine.
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