"Friendly fire" by Ukrainian air defence among lines of inquiry into F-16 fighter jet crash – Voice of America

Ukraine's military command is considering different lines of inquiry into the F-16 fighter jet crash, including pilot error and friendly fire from Ukrainian air defences.

Source: Ukrainian Service of the Voice of America, citing an unnamed representative of the Ukrainian Air Force

Details: Speaking on condition of anonymity, the official said that various lines of inquiry are being considered, including "friendly fire" from Ukrainian air defences, a technical malfunction and pilot error.

"But the exact reasons will be known only after the completion of the investigation," he said.

Earlier, an official statement from the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said that during an air fight, "communication was lost" with an F-16 aircraft while it was approaching the next target.

"As it turned out later, the plane had crashed, and the pilot was killed," the General Staff said in a statement.

The same statement said that a special Defence Ministry commission has been appointed to investigate the causes of the crash, and is working at the site of the crash.

Background:

• On 29 August, The Wall Street Journal, citing sources, reported that an F-16 fighter jet was destroyed in a plane crash in Ukraine on Monday, 26 August.
• Also on 29 August, Air Command Zakhid (West) of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said that Ukrainian pilot Oleksii Mes was killed while repelling a large-scale Russian combined missile and drone attack on 26 August.
• Later, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine confirmed that an F-16 fighter jet crashed while repelling a Russian missile strike. The pilot was killed.

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