Ukraine's Western fighter jets proved vital during Putin's latest attack

US F-16s and French Mirages are doing well

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Ukrainian pilots operating F-16 Fighting Falcons and Mirage 2000-5 fighter jets proved invaluable during Russia’s latest attack according to Ukrainian Air Force spokesperson Colonel Yurii Ihnat. 

Several air targets were shot down

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Colonel Ihnat is the Head of Communications of the Ukrainian Air Force Command and he noted in a recent television broadcast that Ukrainian pilots flying Western fighter jets shot down several targets during Russia’s attack on the night of April 23rd-24th.  

Cruise missiles and drones were downed

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“F-16 and Mirage pilots delivered quite good results today: several dozen aerial targets were shot down by our Ukrainian pilots,” Colonel Ihnat explained according to a quote published by Ukrainska Pravda. “These included cruise missiles and Shahed drones.”

Ukraine's Soviet planes are still capable

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“Of course, both Mirage and F-16 aircraft, as well as the still-used Soviet-era fleet, can shoot down targets flying on aerodynamic trajectories — these are cruise missiles and drones,” Colonel Ihnat added before adding that the effectiveness of Western aircraft in repelling Russian attacks was quite high

The F-16 is a powerful air defense asset

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Ukraine’s F-16 fighter jets have been defending the country’s skies since early August 2024 and they’ve achieved some impressive feats, including one F-16 pilot who shot down 6 Russian cruise missiles during one mission in December 2024 according to Ukraine's Air Force Command,  as reported by The Kyiv Independent. 

The French Mirage’s first victory in Ukraine

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Ukraine’s Mirages scored their first aerial against Russia's win in March 2025. The Ukrainian Air Force reported that one of the country's French-supplied Mirage 2000-5 fighter jets shot down the first Russian target ever eliminated by the new airframes.

Photos of the missile's destruction

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An image of the Russian cruise missile’s destruction was captured of the downed missile and was published online by the Ukrainian Air Force on social media. 

Photo Credit: Telegram @kpszsu

The attack happened recently

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The Ukrainian military news website Militarnyi noted the cruise missile’s downing took place on March 7th during a large-scale Russian missile and drone attack against Ukraine. 

What the images revealed

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Photos published by the Ukrainian Air Force showed that a pair of Mirage 2000-5 fighter jets intercepted the Russian missile and the lead pilot was able to down the Russian weapon.

Photo Credit: Telegram @kpszsu

An effective interception

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“The planes reached the target point on a collision course, after which the lead aircraft launched an air-to-air missile at virtually a right angle to the target,” Militarnyi reported. 

The air-to-air missile hit its mark

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“However, the missile’s maneuverability was enough to turn almost 90 degrees and hit the target,” Militarnyi added. The downing was the first win for Ukraine French Mirage 2000-5 jets. 

Photo Credit: Telegram @kpszsu

What missile was used?

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It is unknown what missile the Ukrainian Mirage 2000-5 used against the Russian cruise missile, but Militarnyi speculated it was likely a French-manufactured MICA missile. 

What is the MICA missile?

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According to the MICA missile manufacturer, the European multinational conglomerate MBDA, noted that the MICA “is the latest generation of the multi-mission air-to-air missile system for the Rafale." The Rafale is another type of French fighter jet.

Photo Credit: Wiki Commons By I, Captainm, CC BY-SA 3.0

Unsurpassed tactical flexibility

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“It provides an unsurpassed tactical flexibility in order to meet the most demanding operational requirements,” MBDA added. This tactical flexibility was on display on March 7th. 

The Mirage 2000-5s first mission

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The Ukrainian Air Force Command revealed March 7th was the first time Mirage 2000-5 fighter jets had taken part in a mission to repel a Russian missile attack on Ukraine. 

French jets arrived in February

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French Mirage 2000-5s only arrived in Ukraine in February accoridng to a statement by French Minister of the Armed Forces Sebastien Lecornu on X on February 6th, 2025. 

“The first of them arrived in Ukraine today”

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“On June 6, 2024, Emmanuel Macron announced the delivery of French Mirage 2000s to Ukraine. “The first of them arrived in Ukraine today.” Lecornu wrote according to a translation of his comments by Aerotime. 

Defending the skies of Ukraine

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“With Ukrainian pilots on board, who have been trained for several months in France, they will now participate in the defense of the skies of Ukraine,” Lecornu continued. 

The jets came at an important time

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At the time, Militarnyi reported that the French Mirage 2000-5 fighter jet would help meet the immediate needs of Ukraine, especially as an air defense weapon. 

Halted US military aid

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Kyiv's need for air defense systems had only grown more critical at the time since American military aid to Ukraine had been cut off by President Donald Trump, this included key air defense assistance. 

Capable air defense fighters

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Ukraine originally requested 12 Mirage 2000-5 fighters from France, and while it is not known how many were sent to Ukraine, these jets are already proving to be capable air defense weapons that may be able to fill the gap left by the withdrawal of US aid at that point in the conflict. 

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