The first F-16 transferred to Ukraine has crashed.

The F-16 crashed on Monday, August 26, during a massive Russian shelling of Ukraine.

The U.S. fighter jet was used by the Ukrainian armed forces to shoot down shells coming from Russia.

It was one of the first six F-16 fighter jets Ukraine received from its Western allies this summer.

The deceased F-16 pilot is Oleksiy Mesya. He was one of the first Ukrainian pilots to be trained to fly the F-16.

Ukraine’s General Staff confirmed the loss of the first F-16. It happened during the repulsion of a massive Russian strike.

“During the flight to the next target, communication was lost with one of the aircraft. As it turned out later, the aircraft crashed, and the pilot was killed,” – stated in the message.

Possible causes of the F-16 crash are a technical malfunction of the airplane or pilot error.

A special commission working in the area of the plane’s fall of the plane is intended to find out the causes of the accident.

Video. First appearance of F-16 in Ukrainian skies.