Ukrainian Mirage 2000 fighter jet crashes during mission, pilot ejects safely

A Ukrainian Air Force Mirage 2000 fighter jet was lost during a flight mission on the evening of July 22, 2025, following an equipment failure, the service announced on its official Telegram channel. 

According to the statement, the pilot reported the malfunction to the mission manager before ejecting safely. Search and rescue teams quickly located the aviator, who is in stable condition. No casualties were reported on the ground. A special commission has been appointed to investigate the incident.

The incident reportedly occurred over Volyn Oblast, near the Polish border. Unverified footage shared online appears to show a fireball descending from the sky, followed by a parachute, indicating a possible in-flight fire before the crash.

A French-provided Mirage 2000-5 Fighter Jet operated by the Ukrainian Air Force crashed yesterday in the Volyn Oblast of Western Ukraine, following a technical malfunction after taking off from Dubno Air Base. The pilot was able to successfully eject and was found in stable… pic.twitter.com/tsFP7MDBnX— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) July 23, 2025The aircraft type, supplied by France, has been in Ukrainian service since early 2025 as part of a broader effort to modernize Kyiv’s air fleet and strengthen air defense. President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed in March 2025 that Mirage 2000 fighters had been deployed in combat, successfully intercepting Russian cruise missiles during large-scale attacks.

RELATED

Ukraine’s Mirage 2000 jets intercept Russian missiles in first confirmed use

France signals readiness to supply more Mirage 2000 fighters to Ukraine

The crash comes just days after President Zelensky reported discussing Ukraine’s defense priorities with President Macron, highlighting agreements on SAMP/T air defense missile supplies, funding for interceptor drones, and additional Mirage 2000 pilot training. 

The Mirage 2000-5 jets were provided under a military assistance package announced by French President Emmanuel Macron in June 2024. Pilot training began shortly after, with the first Ukrainian crews completing their courses in France before returning home to operate the aircraft.

Before transfer, the fighters underwent significant modifications at France’s Cazaux Air Base. These included upgrades for air-to-ground missions, enhanced electronic warfare systems, and integration of weapons such as SCALP-EG/Storm Shadow cruise missiles, MICA air-to-air missiles, and AASM Hammer precision-guided bombs.

The French-built Mirage 2000 is the second Western fighter type introduced into Ukraine’s inventory, following the arrival of F-16s from European partners in August 2024. Together, these modern platforms are supplementing Ukraine’s legacy fleet of Soviet-era MiG-29 and Su-27 fighters.The post Ukrainian Mirage 2000 fighter jet crashes during mission, pilot ejects safely appeared first on AeroTime.

Go to Source