Alleged First F-16 Engagement: Unverified Claims of Su-34 Downing
Russian Military Bloggers Report Su-34 Interception Before Release Of Glide Bombs.
Update from Großwald, 13 May 2025:
On 4 November 2024, Russian military bloggers, including the Telegram channel Fighterbomber—reportedly linked to the Russian Air Force—claimed that a Ukrainian-operated F-16 had intercepted and downed a Russian Su-34 bomber before it could release its glide bomb payload. The report suggested the engagement took place approximately 50 kilometers from the front line and described the event as a symbolic first kill for NATO-supplied jets in Ukrainian service.
These claims have not been independently corroborated. As of May 2025, no official confirmation has been issued by either the Ukrainian or Russian Ministries of Defense. The U.S.-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW) noted at the time that it could not verify the reported downing. No visual evidence has surfaced to support the claim, and no kill has been recorded in verified open-source tracking databases.
Despite the lack of confirmation, the report circulated widely on Russian and Ukrainian social media, with pro-Ukrainian channels hailing it as a breakthrough in Western airpower integration. The story coincided with heightened attention on the arrival of F-16s from European donors and a broader debate over their survivability in high-threat contested airspace.
Großwald
