Reports from Russian media, specifically Telegram channels like Voenno Delo, suggest that two Ukrainian F-16 fighter jets were ambushed by Russian MiG-31 interceptors at the Starokostiantiniv airbase in western Ukraine.
Donated by Netherlands
These F-16s, reportedly donated by the Netherlands, were allegedly hit just as they were attempting to take off. The attack was said to involve four Russian MiG-31Ks carrying Kinzhal hypersonic missiles.
However, the daily briefing from the Russian Ministry of Defense on September 26 did not officially acknowledge the incident. Most Russian media outlets have referenced these unverified reports from military blogs and Telegram channels, according to Digi24.
According to Voenno Delo, several other Su-24 fighter jets were also at the base when the strike occurred.
Confirmed Strike of Military Targets
Top War, another Russian military outlet, claimed that the attack triggered widespread air raid alerts across Ukraine, including the capital, Kyiv.
There were also reports of explosions at the Starokostiantiniv airbase and in Khmelnytskyi, as well as in Kyiv. The Ukrainian Air Force later confirmed that Russian missiles, including hypersonic weapons, had struck various military targets in Ukraine, though they did not confirm any damage to the F-16s.
Some reports, including from Military Watch, suggested that four of the F-16 jets at the airbase may have been destroyed in the strike, but these claims remain unverified.
Despite the ongoing attacks, Ukrainian forces have continued to fortify their air defenses in response to Russia’s advanced missile capabilities.
