KYIV — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed on Saturday that a 26-year-old fighter pilot, Capt. Pavlo Ivanov, was killed during a combat mission involving an F-16 fighter jet.

In a statement, Zelenskyy expressed condolences to Ivanov’s family and comrades, noting that the Ukrainian military is investigating the circumstances surrounding the fatal incident.

“Our F-16s, Mirages, MiGs, and the entire combat aviation are heroically executing military missions to defend our state and support ground operations,” Zelenskyy said.

He highlighted the continued role of Ukraine’s Air Force in protecting the country from Russian missile and drone attacks. “We are proud of our warriors,” he added, concluding his message with: “Glory to Ukraine!”

Details regarding the location and nature of the mission have not yet been disclosed. The incident marks the first known fatality involving Ukraine's recently deployed fleet of F-16s, which were delivered by Western allies to bolster the country’s air defense against ongoing Russian aggression. — Agencies