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Aujourd’hui — 23 juillet 2025Flux principal
  • ✇Euromaidan Press
  • Ukraine suffers first Mirage-2000 loss. Pilot ejects and survives
    The Ukrainian Air Force’s Mirage-2000 crash occurred during an evening flight over Ukraine on 22 July, when a fighter jet suffered a sudden technical failure, forcing the pilot to eject. The incident marks the first confirmed loss of this aircraft type in Ukrainian service. The pilot survived, and no civilians were harmed on the ground, according to official statements. Although the Air Force has not confirmed whether this specific Mirage-2000 was involved in air defense at the time, the
     
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✇Euromaidan Press

Ukraine suffers first Mirage-2000 loss. Pilot ejects and survives

Par :Yuri Zoria
23 juillet 2025 à 06:03

ukraine suffers first mirage-2000 loss pilot ejects survives mirage 2000-5f fighter jet flight french ministry armed forces винищувач mirаge ukrainian air force's crash occurred during evening over 22 when suffered

The Ukrainian Air Force’s Mirage-2000 crash occurred during an evening flight over Ukraine on 22 July, when a fighter jet suffered a sudden technical failure, forcing the pilot to eject. The incident marks the first confirmed loss of this aircraft type in Ukrainian service. The pilot survived, and no civilians were harmed on the ground, according to official statements.

Although the Air Force has not confirmed whether this specific Mirage-2000 was involved in air defense at the time, the crash comes amid Russia’s intensified drone and missile attacks on Ukrainian cities. In response, Ukraine continues to deploy its available resources, including combat aircraft, to counter incoming aerial threats where necessary.

Mirage fails in flight, pilot guides it away from civilians

The Ukrainian Air Force reported that the single-engine Mirage-2000-5 fighter jet experienced an in-flight malfunction during a scheduled mission. Colonel Yurii Ihnat, spokesperson for the Air Force Command, told Ukrainska Pravda that the pilot immediately alerted flight command, followed emergency protocols, and managed to steer the aircraft away from populated areas before ejecting. A rescue team quickly located the pilot, whose condition is reported as stable.

The crash occurred in open terrain. No casualties or damage were recorded on the ground. The Air Force noted that the pilot used all remaining onboard systems in an attempt to retain control before initiating the ejection sequence. Military officials stressed that such incidents, while rare, are not unprecedented in modern air forces.

A special commission has been appointed to investigate the Mirage-2000 crash and identify what triggered the failure.

Ukraine’s Mirage-2000 program under strain

As Militarnyi reports, this is the first Mirage-2000 Ukraine has lost since introducing the aircraft into combat roles. The jet had been fully modernized before its transfer from France. This includes upgrades for engaging ground targets.

The Mirage-2000 entered Ukrainian service earlier in 2025. In March, the Air Force reported that one of these fighters successfully intercepted a Russian Kh-101 cruise missile during a combined missile-and-drone attack. According to French Aid to Ukraine, the training program for Ukrainian Mirage pilots and technicians lasted six months and concluded at the end of December 2024.

Under French military assistance, Ukraine is expected to receive between 12 and 20 Mirage-2000 aircraft. Militarnyi notes that the final number may increase with possible additional deliveries from the French Air and Space Force or even Greece. The jets in Ukraine’s current fleet are capable of deploying high-precision weapons such as SCALP EG / Storm Shadow cruise missiles and AASM smart bombs.

Over the past year, Ukraine lost four US-made F-16 jets and three pilots during combat operations. The first loss occurred on 26 August 2024, when pilot Oleksii Mes (“Moonfish”) was killed as his jet went down during a Russian missile and drone attack. On 12 April 2025, pilot Pavlo Ivanov died after his F-16 was likely shot down over Sumy Oblast. Another F-16 was destroyed on 16 May 2025 due to an onboard emergency, though the pilot ejected safely. Most recently, on 29 June 2025, Lieutenant Colonel Maksym Ustymenko was killed while defending against a large-scale Russian air assault.

 

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