Ukraine has lost one of its prized Western F-16 fighter jets while defending its own airspace, the Ukrainian Air Force said on Wednesday.
The aircraft crashed as it was intercepting enemy aerial objects, the air force said in a statement.
"According to preliminary information, there was an emergency situation on board and the pilot had to eject," the statement said, adding that the pilot is unharmed. There was no damage or casualties on the ground.
Ukraine received its first F-16 jets in 2024 after lengthy lobbying of Western partners. The aircraft are used primarily to defend against Russian drone and missile attacks.
Several jets have already crashed during risky manoeuvres, with the first going down shortly after deliveries began.
The loss of each individual F-16 weighs heavily on Kiev, as Ukraine cannot produce the jets itself and not all of the approximately 80 aircraft that were promised have yet arrived in the country.