One of the F-16s helping Ukraine fight Russia has crashed. Here’s what to know about their role

Associated Press

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — One of the handful of F-16 warplanes that Ukraine has received from its Western partners to help fight Russia’s invasion has crashed while countering a Russian barrage, killing the pilot. The crash was the first reported loss of an F-16 in Ukraine, where they arrived at the end of last month. At least six of the warplanes are believed to have been delivered by European countries. Ukraine says U.S. experts have joined a Ukrainian investigation into why the plane went down. The F-16s enhance Ukraine’s military strength, especially by upgrading its air defenses and enabling it to hit distant targets with sophisticated NATO weaponry, if Western suppliers give permission for that. Analysts say the F-16s won’t turn the tide of the war on their own, though.