Ukraine loses first F-16 – media

The US-made jet reportedly crashed, killing the Western-trained pilot

One of the handful of F-16 fighters that NATO donated to Ukraine has already been lost, multiple US outlets reported on Thursday, citing Ukrainian officials.

Several European NATO members had pledged to supply Kiev with US-made jets, the first of which were spotted over Odessa earlier this month.

On Thursday, the Wall Street Journal reported that one of the F-16s was “destroyed in a crash on Monday.” Citing a US official, the outlet said the plane was not shot down, but likely crashed as “a result of pilot error.”

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