A Ukrainian F-16 fighter jet shot down a Russian Su-35 aircraft in air-to-air combat over eastern Ukraine, officials confirmed on July 21, 2026.
This marks the first confirmed aerial victory for the U. S.
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-supplied jet since its deployment.
The engagement occurred near the front line in the Luhansk region, approximately 42 kilometers from active ground fighting near Mistki.
A Russian Su-35S was targeted after attempting to intercept a low-altitude bombing run by Ukrainian forces.
During the confrontation, a pair of low-flying Ukrainian F-16 escort jets and a front-line Patriot air defense system simultaneously engaged the Russian aircraft.
The F-16s launched AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles while the Patriot system fired a PAC-2 GEM-T interceptor, trapping the target in crossfire.
US General Confirms Historic Intercept
General Dan Caine, Chairman of the U. S.
Joint Chiefs of Staff, verified the historic intercept during testimony before the Senate Appropriations Committee in Washington.
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He praised the work of Ukraine's industrial base in scaling air-to-air capabilities.
"I want to highlight the incredible work that the Ukraine industrial base is doing as they scale their air-to-air capabilities.
It ranges from their surface-to-air capabilities to their air-to-air capabilities," said General Caine.
The general noted that the successful shootdown demonstrates significant operational progress for Kyiv's integrated air defense network over the last several years.
"I'll note that recently we had the first air-to-air kill where a Ukrainian F-16 shot down a Russian fighter," he added.
The pilot of the Russian Su-35S successfully ejected over Russian-controlled territory and was recovered by a combat search-and-rescue team using an Mi-8PSG helicopter, according to military reports.
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The victory marks a notable tactical achievement for Ukraine's modernizing air fleet, which operates approximately 39 older-variant F-16AM Block 20 aircraft equipped with APG-66 radar systems against more advanced Russian hardware.
