Ukraine has announced the death of one of its F-16 fighter pilots, marking the second confirmed loss of the advanced US-made jets since they were delivered to aid the country’s defence against Russia’s ongoing invasion.
The Ukrainian military said in a statement on Saturday, April 12, 2025, that 26-year-old pilot Pavlo Ivanov was killed during a combat mission.
“He died in action, defending his homeland from the invaders,” the statement read, offering no further details on the circumstances of his death.
The army hinted that a commission had been set up to investigate and determine exactly what happened.
“Ukrainian pilots operate at the limits of human and technical endurance, risking their lives on every combat sortie. Pavlo was one of those brave heroes,” the army said.
President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the young pilot’s death and offered condolences to his family, stating on social media that investigations into the incident were underway.
Ukraine received its first batch of F-16s in the summer of 2024 after lobbying Western allies for two years. The delivery was seen as a major milestone in Kyiv’s efforts to modernise its air force and strengthen its resistance against Russian aggression.
Before Ivanov’s death, the only F-16 loss acknowledged by Ukraine occurred in August 2024, when a pilot was killed after his aircraft crashed while intercepting a Russian missile.
More recently, President Zelensky announced the arrival of another batch of F-16s, though he did not specify the number received.
