A US-made F16 fighter jet takes off from a motorway in Pingtung, southern Taiwan
AFP / Sam Yeh

Ukraine is grappling with a pressing question: Did one of its newly delivered F-16 fighter jets crash by accident, or was it accidentally shot down by its own defense system? The confusion comes after mixed reports about the incident.

The F-16 went down on Aug. 26 during a large Russian missile and drone attack. Ukraine's Army General Staff initially reported that the jet crashed, killing the pilot, Col. Alexei Mes, also known as "Moonfish." According to the Associated Press, this was the first loss of an F-16 since they arrived in Ukraine last month.

However, a different story surfaced when Ukrainian MP Maryana Bezuglaya claimed the F-16 might have been accidentally shot down by a Patriot missile, another American-made weapon. She pointed to possible miscommunication between Ukrainian air and ground units. Though unverified, her claims have led to an official investigation into the cause—whether it was pilot error, friendly fire or something else.

Eurasian Times reported that losing an F-16 is a significant setback for Ukraine, given its limited fleet. Each jet is vital in countering Russia's air force, which is far larger and better equipped. The death of Col. Mes, who was one of the first Ukrainian pilots trained to fly F-16s, also hits morale hard. His death follows the loss of another notable pilot, Andrii "Juice" Pilshchykov, a year ago.

Russia has also claimed credit for the F-16's destruction. Russian forces allege they hit a Ukrainian airbase housing these jets on Aug. 26. However, no visual proof supports this claim.