Posted on 06/29/2025 11:24:59 AM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum
Summary
KYIV/LVIV, Ukraine, June 29 (Reuters) - A Ukrainian F-16 fighter pilot died in a crash while repelling a Russian air attack that involved hundreds of drones, cruise and ballistic missiles, authorities said on Sunday, as Moscow intensifies night-time air barrages in the fourth year of war.
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy called for more support from Washington and Western allies to bolster Ukraine's air defences after the attack, which damaged homes and infrastructure across the country and injured at least 12 people, according to local authorities.
In Kyiv, families huddled in metro stations for shelter after air raid sirens rung out. Machine-gun fire and explosions were heard across the capital and in the western city of Lviv, where such attacks are less common.
The governor of the Lviv region, bordering Poland, said the raid targeted critical infrastructure.
Ukraine has now lost three F-16s since it began operating the U.S.-made jets last year. Kyiv has not revealed the size of its F-16 fleet, but they have become a central and heavily used part of Ukraine's defences.
The pilot flew the damaged jet away from a settlement but did not have time to eject before it crashed, the Ukrainian Air Force said.
"The pilot used all of his onboard weapons and shot down seven air targets. While shooting down the last one, his aircraft was damaged and began to lose altitude," the Air Force said on Telegram.
The Ukrainian military said in total Russia launched 477 drones and 60 missiles of various types to...
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
It’s never enough for the Global Homo.
Let EU Countries deal with him.
How about a great big fat NO?
Not possible, Russia is collapsing from the inside out. And Ukraine is kicking Russian ass all the way back to the kremlin. Why would they need our help? Unless the zeepers have been lying to us all along.
He just saw President Trump last week. Time to cut that umbilical cord permanently.
I want to see the actor on his knees, crying for hours and begging in grief, with copious non-stop applogizes for how he behaved in the Oval Office - that smug head of a Nationalist NAZI regime is only this week beginning to understand it will be until he steps down or to the last Ukrainian.
If Russia plays the war right, Zelinski will be the last Ukrainian killed, many months after that last of the AFU are put in the ground.
The Russo-Ukraine war is a European war that affects Europeans in Europe.
Before the USA sends another dollar to Ukraine...
All (All) European countries should be all (all) in supporting the little ingrate. And...
There must be a full, thorough (a la DOGE) accounting of all the money and etc we've thus far provided, and all the corruption and graft must be repaid.
How many years of independence from the USSR has Ukraine had to build up its own military?
Failure number one is not preparing its own military
Mmmmm...yeah. It was the Ukrainian military who created the legend of the Ghost of Kyiv - that magnificent imaginary pilot winning every confrontation.
Since Kyiv couldn't find enough pilots to send to the F-16 training sessions in foreign countries, their pilot pool is quite small, and most if not all were new pilots, never having flown before. They range in age from 19-23 yrs, so I don't imagine they have amazing success rates. With little to no air defense systems remaining, I can assume the Ukrainian pilots are very brave.
Ukrainian vs Russian Air ForcesThe Ukrainian and Russian air forces have significantly different capabilities and sizes, with the Russian Air Force generally holding a numerical and qualitative advantage. As of 2024, the Russian Air Force had 809 fighter aircraft, while the Ukrainian Air Force had 72 fighter aircraft, highlighting a substantial numerical disparity. The Russian Air Force also has more advanced technology, including better radars and longer-range missiles, which allow for "fire and forget" missile launches at extended ranges.
In terms of specific aircraft, the Ukrainian Air Force operates a mix of Soviet-era planes such as the MiG-29, Su-24, Su-25, and Su-27, along with recently delivered F-16s. However, many of these aircraft are outdated, and their radar systems are not as advanced as those of the Russian aircraft. For instance, Ukrainian pilots often rely on ground radar to detect incoming threats, as their onboard systems are less capable. The Ukrainian Air Force has also experienced significant losses, with some aircraft being destroyed or damaged in combat.
On the other hand, the Russian Air Force includes more modern aircraft such as the Su-57 Felon, which is gradually being used more in the conflict, and the MiG-31 Foxbat, which is used to carry Kinzhal missiles. The Russian Air Force has also demonstrated the ability to conduct long-range strikes and has a more extensive fleet of transport and support aircraft.
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