One of the Mirage-2000 fighter jets provided to Ukraine by France malfunctioned and crashed late on July 22, Air Force spokesperson Yuriy Ihnat reported on Facebook shortly after midnight.
The jet’s pilot reacted to the critical situation during the flight by directing the aircraft to a deserted area, away from a densely populated residential neighborhood.
After losing control of the aircraft, the pilot reported the situation to the flight director and then “acted as expected in a crisis situation and successfully ejected,” Ihnat said.
"Such situations happen in aviation, not only during combat operations. The main thing is that the pilot is alive and no one on the ground was injured."
An investigation is ongoing to determine the cause of the accident.
Since 2024, Ukraine has lost four Western jets in combat missions.