Russia-Ukraine War: Russian commanders reported that their S-300 air defense system shot down an F-16 fighter jet. They added that considerable time was spent preparing for this operation.

Russia's S-300 air defense system shot down a Ukrainian F-16 fighter jet.

The ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine is now taking a serious turn. The Russian military claimed to have shot down a Ukrainian F-16 fighter jet. The downing of this jet is a major blow to both Ukraine and the United States. The F-16 is America's multi-role fighter aircraft. Russia claimed that its air defense system completely destroyed the fighter jet with just two missiles.

What did the Russian commander say?

In an interview with Rossiya 1 TV, a Russian commander stated that their S-300 air defense system shot down an F-16 fighter jet. He stated that this fighter jet, supplied by the US to Ukraine, was their most interesting target. He stated that the S-300 fired two missiles, the first of which damaged the aircraft and the second of which completely destroyed it.

The Russian commander said, "It took us a long time to prepare for this operation. We were monitoring it and anticipating it. The enemy claimed that this fighter jet could not be shot down, but in reality, they fall out of the sky like any other aircraft. Ukraine began receiving F-16s in August 2024 and has since confirmed the loss of four aircraft in combat."

How many F-16 jets did European countries give to Ukraine

According to a Business Insider report, Kyiv has officially received 44 of the 87 F-16 fighter jets promised to its European counterparts. Earlier, Russia claimed it had responded to Kyiv's drone attack on President Vladimir Putin's residence with the Oreshnik hypersonic missile.

The intermediate-range Oreshnik is a missile that President Vladimir Putin has claimed is impossible to intercept because of its alleged velocity of 10 times the speed of sound. The missile is capable of carrying nuclear warheads, although there was no indication that the missile used in the overnight attack was equipped with them. The Russian Defense Ministry said the attack targeted vital infrastructure in Ukraine. Russia also used attack drones and long-range land and sea weapons.