Key facts
- A Ukrainian MiG-29 fighter jet crashed on June 27 in Poltava Oblast.
- The aircraft was on a combat mission when communication was lost.
- The pilot ejected safely and was rescued.
- The cause of the crash is under investigation.
A Ukrainian MiG-29 fighter jet crashed overnight on June 27 while conducting a combat mission in Poltava Oblast after communication with the aircraft was lost, Ukraine's Air Force reported. The pilot successfully ejected and was located by a search-and-rescue team, which evacuated him to a medical facility for examination and treatment. "The causes and circumstances are being investigated," the Air Force said. The military did not provide details about the mission or specify what led to the loss of communication. The MiG-29 is a Soviet-designed twin-engine multirole fighter. Ukraine continues to operate the aircraft in upgraded configurations for air defense and strike missions. The incident follows a fatal accident involving a Ukrainian Su-24 front-line bomber in Khmelnytskyi Oblast on June 16. Ukraine has relied heavily on its Soviet-era combat aircraft throughout Russia's invasion while integrating Western-supplied jets.