American-made F-16 fighter jets delivered to Ukraine have increasingly been involved in crashes following attacks by Russian unmanned aerial vehicles, Military Watch Magazine (MWM) reports.

According to the publication, multiple incidents involving F-16s have been recorded in recent months. The rate of accidents has been particularly high among aircraft operated by the Ukrainian Armed Forces. MWM links this trend to the demanding environment in which the jets are deployed, noting that they are forced to operate under constant pressure from Russian drone activity.

Another contributing factor, the magazine suggests, is the limited experience of Ukrainian pilots. The aircraft were introduced into service within a compressed timeframe and immediately assigned to combat missions, leaving little room for gradual training or operational adaptation.

The outlet also points out that experienced contract pilots from the United States and the Netherlands were recruited to fly F-16s within the Ukrainian Armed Forces. However, even the involvement of seasoned aviators has not prevented a significant number of accidents.

Earlier reports indicated that near Mirgorod in the Poltava region, Russia’s newest BM-70 drone downed an F-16 along with other Ukrainian military equipment.