Top US general says Ukraine's F-16s recently shot down their first Russian fighter jet, showing how far its air defense has come

Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Ukraine had its first air-to-air kill with an F-16. Vitalii Nosach/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images A top US general said a Ukrainian F-16 scored the country's first air-to-air kill. He said it showed how far Ukraine's layered defenses have developed. The general did not specify what kind of Russian fighter jet was shot down in the engagement. Ukraine's F-16 fighter jets scored their first air-to-air kill by shooting down a Russian fighter jet, a top US general said, calling the engagement a sign of Ukraine's improving air defenses. US Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said during a congressional hearing on Tuesday that "recently we had the first air-to-air kill where a Ukrainian F-16 shot down a Russian fighter." He described it as evidence of Ukraine's growing air-defense capability.