US Joint Chiefs Chairman confirms Ukrainian F-16 scores first air-to-air kill against Russian fighter

Published Jul 22, 06:19 PM UTC

General Dan Caine, Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, publicly confirmed that a Ukrainian F-16 has achieved its first air-to-air kill against a Russian fighter jet. The announcement, made during a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing, marks a significant milestone in the air war over Ukraine. While no specific details were provided about the engagement, the report suggests it may have been the July 8 shootdown of a Russian Su-35S multirole fighter. Ukrainian officials and pro-Kremlin bloggers acknowledged the loss of the Su-35S, though earlier speculation suggested it could have been destroyed by a Patriot missile. The F-16s have already downed numerous Russian cruise missiles and drones. The Su-35S is considered one of Russia's most capable fighters, armed with long-range R-77-1 and R-37M missiles, while Ukrainian F-16s carry AIM-120C-8 AMRAAMs.