In a rare and high-stakes aerial engagement, a Ukrainian-operated F-16 fighter jet successfully shot down a Russian Su-35 heavy fighter over the eastern part of the Ukrainian front this week. The operation, which involved aircraft worth over one hundred million US dollars and their pilots, is considered extremely risky and thus rarely seen. According to the Russian side, Ukrainians managed to win this interesting air duel, with the Russian pilot ultimately ejecting before his aircraft went down.
This incident marks what the Ukrainian In Factum channel suggests could be only the second F-16 victory over a Su-35, with the first unconfirmed victory reportedly occurring last summer over Kursk. Ukraine’s Third Army Corps published a video showing the burning fighter jet, and the Air Force also released footage of the downing.
Russian military bloggers have detailed how Ukrainians allegedly lured them into a trap. According to the Z-channel Vojevoda, the operation involved as many as three F-16 fighters and a Patriot air defence system. One Ukrainian aircraft reportedly simulated dropping guided bombs while the other two provided cover. In this version, Patriot surface-to-air missile system radars, deployed just 60 km from the line of contact, “illuminated” the target for the F-16s. Another blogger, Ilia Tumanov, known as Fighterbomber, corroborated this account, noting that the Russian side had “acted stereotypically” unlike the Ukrainians.
The use of a Patriot system in such a manner carries significant risk, as switching on its radar could make it a visible and highly valuable target for Russia. An alternative theory suggests that the F-16s guided the Patriot onto the target, with the Patriot only activating its radar shortly before striking the Russian aircraft.
The Su-35 is a heavy multirole fighter of the 4++ generation, often equipped with R-37M air-to-air missiles with a range of up to 320 km. Developed by Sukhoi as a modernization of the Su-27, it boasts exceptional manoeuvrability, advanced detection systems, high supersonic speed, and long range, capable of carrying a wide arsenal of missiles and bombs. Business Insider previously highlighted these fighters as a threat even to NATO, estimating Russia’s fleet at 135 to 140 aircraft. Ukrainian Pravda reports that the Russian army frequently uses Su-35s to escort Su-34 bombers, which drop 100 to 130 guided bombs daily on Ukrainian positions and frontline cities, with a record 5,700 bombs dropped in January 2026. Analyst Justin Bronk from the RUSI think tank described the Su-35 as “the main aircraft of the Russian air force for securing air superiority,” flown by carefully selected pilots. From Ukraine’s perspective, destroying the aircraft of a pilot who had been harassing them for a long period is a significant achievement.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine claims Russia has lost 437 aircraft and 353 helicopters, while the independent Oryx project, which compiles losses documented by photographic evidence, reports significantly lower figures of 186 aircraft and 179 helicopters.
Beyond this aerial victory, Ukraine’s successful campaign to destroy critical military infrastructure, such as air defence systems, is increasingly complicating Russian control of airspace and blinding them during combat operations. Ukrainian units are also intensifying efforts to deepen the energy isolation of the Crimean peninsula and disrupt Russian army transport logistics in occupied territories. French blogger Clément Molin calculated that in the first week of July, Ukrainians hit over 240 Russian vehicles, averaging 34 per day. Additionally, Ukraine continues its drone campaign on Russian Federation territory to exacerbate the fuel crisis, hitting oil depots in Tver and near Mikhaylovsk in Stavropol Krai recently, leading Russia to ban diesel exports.
Meanwhile, a recent two-day NATO summit in Ankara, despite being overshadowed by Trump’s attacks on European allies and the end of the truce with Iran, yielded three significant outcomes for Kyiv. Firstly, NATO explicitly designated Russia as an aggressor, confirming it as a long-term threat to Euro-Atlantic security and stability, a declaration signed even by Slovak president Peter Pellegrini. Secondly, a coalition of countries pledged military support to Ukraine with investments totaling 70 billion dollars, though Slovakia and Czechia under Andrej Babiš did not join. Thirdly, former US President Trump announced he would grant Kyiv a license to manufacture Patriot missiles, crucial for defence against Russian ballistic attacks. Trump also reportedly trolled Putin’s regime, suggesting this escalation could help end the war. During a joint press conference, when Trump asked Ukrainian President Zelensky if he would go to Moscow, Zelensky humorously replied, “It is difficult. There are too many Ukrainian drones there, it is dangerous,” eliciting laughter from reporters.
Trump’s new tone has sparked cautious optimism among European allies, with the Financial Times noting a significant shift in Kyiv’s favour. An Alliance diplomat simply explained, “Trump likes winners. And Ukraine has started winning recently.”
However, the process of manufacturing Patriots in Ukraine is expected to be lengthy, potentially measured in years. Bloomberg highlighted that political approval is the easier part, with technical, manufacturing, and security challenges still ahead. An expert quoted by the UNIAN agency estimates that in the fastest scenario, Ukraine could produce its first Patriot missile within a year and a half, though it remains unclear whether it would be the older PAC-2 or the more technologically demanding PAC-3 version. Production also requires rare earths, likely sourced from China. Manufacturing Patriots in a European country is also an option for better protection against potential Russian attacks. Concurrently, the Ukrainian company Fire Point is developing its own surface-to-air missiles, with mass production estimated to begin as early as this August, though their operational readiness date is still unclear, according to the FT.
In the first half of the 1990s, only twelve prototypes were produced, according to TSN.UA, but in 2005 a decision was taken to resume development and the fighter was then designated the Su-35BM. As Zerkalo nedeli wrote, the Su-35 was developed by the Sukhoi company as part of a broad modernisation of the Su-27.
👀 The Air Force has published a video of shooting down of Russian Su-35 fighter. pic.twitter.com/CudiAJucdm— UNITED24 Media (@United24media) June 7, 2025
