CinC believes F-16 crash probe results to be delivered shortly

The commission set by Ukraine’s Defense Ministry to investigating the circumstances of the recent crash of a F-16 fighter jet will soon present the results of the probe.

Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Oleksandr Syrskyi said this in an interview with CNN, Ukrinform reports.

Syrskyi noted that the best Ukrainian pilots with the relevant flight experience were selected to fly the F-16, having undergone training in Ukraine's partner countries.

"Of course, they came highly trained, as our partners also confirmed, and received all the approvals to operate these aircraft," said the commander-in-chief.

According to the CinC, the Ministry of Defense set up a special commission that is now conducting an investigation to find out all the facts of the August 26 catastrophe.

"I think the results of the investigation will be known to everyone shortly. And on the one hand, we are not going to hide it, but on the other hand, the effectiveness of the use of these aircraft has been proven by the results – the destruction of four cruise missiles by a pair of F-16s, so this will certainly strengthen our defence capabilities, first of all in the fight against enemy cruise missiles," Syrskyi said.

At the same time, the commander-in-chief refused to elaborate on whether the crash was a result of a friendly fire incident – until the investigation is completed.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, on August 26, during the effort to repel a massive Russian missile and drone strike, Air Force pilot Oleksiy Mes was killed in an F-16 crash.

The-then Air Force Commander, Mykola Oleshchuk, said partners from the United States joined the investigation of the incident.