Ukraine’s F-16 pilot shoots down six Russian missiles during a single mission in a historic first. More than 800,000 Russian troops have been killed or wounded in Ukraine since the invasion. Trump’s Ukraine envoy postpones Kyiv trip until after inauguration.
Ukraine’s F-16 pilot shoots down six Russian missiles during single mission in historic first
In a historic first, a Ukrainian pilot of a Western-supplied F-16 fighter jet shot down six Russian cruise missiles during a single deployment, head of the Communications Directorate for Ukraine’s Air Force Command, Colonel Yuriy Ihnat said in a Facebook post on Tuesday.
The interception took place during a major Russian aerial strike on December 13, 2024 that included 94 missiles. Russia used, among other types, air-, sea-, and ground-launched cruise missiles in the attack.
The F-16 pilot shot down six cruise missiles, using medium-range missiles, short-range missiles, and an aircraft cannon.
The missiles had electronic warfare countermeasures, Ihnat said, citing a conversation with the pilot.
“The F-16s have a powerful fire control system – once the target is in sight, even electronic warfare countermeasures will not blind the radar. I positioned myself at a suitable distance, locked onto the targets, launched the missiles one after the other and hit them, destroying both targets!” he said.
The F-16 fighter jet was equipped with four air-to-air missiles: two mid-range and two short-range projectiles.
The pilot first used medium-range missiles. He then had to near the targets, coming at a distance of around two miles (approx. 3.2 kilometers) to fire short-range missiles to strike them with precision.
The pilot was recalled from the area, and a Su-27 was supposed to engage the targets, Ihnat said. The F-16 pilot spotted another missile, but had only an aircraft cannon available to try to intercept it.
“I did everything like I was trained to by the instructors in the U.S. and at a simulator. [I fired] several salvos from a cannon – and there was an explosion followed by another one. A repeated explosion, I thought to myself,” the pilot said.
Later checks showed that he intercepted two missiles. “They were flying close to each other,” the pilot said.
More than 800,000 Russian troops killed or wounded in Ukraine since invasion
Since the full-scale invasion, 800,010 Russian troops have been killed or wounded, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said on Tuesday. Russia lost 1,970 soldiers in the past day alone.
Since February 24, 2022, Russia has lost 9,710 tanks (including 10 in the past day), 20,189 armored fighting vehicles (including 25 in the past day), 21,710 artillery systems (including 45 in the past day), 1,260 multiple launch rocket systems (including two in the past day), 1,038 air defense systems (including four in the past day), 369 aircraft, 331 helicopters, 21,708 operational-tactical drones (including 83 in the past day), 3,014 cruise missiles, 28 warships and boats, a submarine, 33,226 vehicles and fuel tanks (including 170 in the past day), and 3,681 pieces of specialized equipment.
Last month, the Institute for the Study of War said that Russian forces had suffered an estimated 125,800 casualties during a period of intensified offensive operations in September, October, and November 2024 in exchange for 2,356 square kilometers of gains.
Ukraine’s military put the number of Russian soldiers killed and wounded in December 2024 at 48,670 — the highest in 2024 and also the highest since the invasion.
Ukraine’s government project “Khochu Nayti” (I want to find) has received the data on 50,000 missing Russian soldiers through the hotline. The number of Russian troops missing in action since the invasion exceeds 100,000.
Trump’s Ukraine envoy postpones Kyiv trip until after inauguration
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming Ukraine envoy has postponed a fact-finding trip to Kyiv and other European capitals until after Trump’s inauguration on January 20, Reuters said Monday, citing four sources with knowledge of the trip’s planning.
Retired Lieutenant-General Keith Kellogg, who is set to serve as Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, had initially planned a mission to Kyiv to meet with Ukrainian leaders in early January, Reuters reported last month. His team was also setting up meetings with officials in other European capitals, including Rome and Paris.
But the trip, which would have marked the first time incoming Trump administration officials headed to Kyiv since the November 5 election, has been pushed back, said the sources, who requested anonymity to discuss private matters.
Kellogg is now expected to travel to Ukraine after Trump takes office, though no date has been set, the sources said.
It was not immediately clear why Kellogg was delaying the trip.
Speaking to Radio NV on Tuesday, executive director of the Center for Political Studies Penta Oleksandr Leonov alleged that Kellogg’s postponed visit signals that Trump’s promise of solving the war in Ukraine within 24 hours of taking office has failed.
“There is a correlation, as the visit was postponed after the interview [of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi with American podcaster Lex Fridman],” Leonov said.
“But I believe the main reason is that Trump’s so-called ‘blitzkrieg’ on Ukraine has failed. (…) That’s an ultimate acknowledgment that solving Russia’s war against Ukraine in 24 hours is impossible.”
Leonov said that Trump wanted to finalize a draft peace deal or reach a truce before he takes office to announce it in his first speech as president.
“Looks like there is no clear understanding of how to force Russia to the negotiating table, as Putin’s rhetoric is openly contradictory,” Leonov explained.
“He insists on Ukraine’s capitulation. Under these conditions, it’s difficult to outline the next steps.”
If Putin continues to refuse the talks, Trump will have to leverage his powers he doesn’t yet have — sanctions or oil price regulations,” Leonov added.
