Ukraine's F-16 Jets Achieve First Air-to-Air Kill of Russian Su-35

Ukrainian Air Force pilots used a U.S.-supplied F‑16 to shoot down a Russian Su‑35 in an air‑to‑air encounter, the first confirmed kill of this type since the F‑16s entered service in 2024. The achievement was announced by U.S. Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine during a Senate hearing, confirming the earlier Ukrainian claim that the Su‑35 was downed on the eastern front.

The Su‑35 is among Russia's most advanced fighters, making the loss symbolically significant. Russian defence officials have not verified the incident; some reports say the pilot ejected safely, while others suggest the aircraft may have been hit by a Patriot missile rather than an F‑16. Ukraine's F‑16 fleet, delivered from the Netherlands and Denmark, consists of older F‑16A/B models that had previously focused on intercepting drones and cruise missiles. The air force has already neutralised roughly 2,200 of about 3,000 Russian drones and missiles launched during the war.