Ukraine lost another MiG-29 and its pilot on Thursday. It needs the jets to guard its cities, and almost none are left to replace them
Capt. Marat Mambetov, 25, ejected after a Russian missile hit his jet during a strike mission but did not survive; it was the 37th confirmed loss of a Ukrainian MiG-29 since February 2022, leaving a fleet of about three dozen, roughly what Ukraine had before the invasion.
Ukraine has suffered another loss of a Mikoyan MiG-29 fighter jet and its pilot on Thursday. The Ukrainian air force has been steadily losing MiGs due to combat and aging, with the latest incident bringing the total to 37 since Russia's invasion began in February 2022. The MiG-29 is a key fighter in Ukraine's arsenal, used for ground attacks and defending cities from Russian attacks. However, with the arrival of Western jets like F-16s and Rafales in the coming years, the MiG-29 fleet may become obsolete as early as 2027.
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Also reported by 3 other outlets
- The New York Times obtains a purported Russian plan to cripple Ukraine’s power grid, including by cutting electricity and heat supplies to three major cities by 90% meduza.io
- Three killed after Russian Su-35 downs Mi-8 helicopter in Voronezh Region friendly-fire incident, pro-war channels say theins.press
- Vyhivskyi, US diplomats discuss Ukraine's needs in countering Russian strikes ukrinform.net
