The Russian Embassy in South Africa claimed in a Sept. 26 X post to show a downed Ukrainian F-16.

When you ask Ukrainian pilots where their F-16s are. pic.twitter.com/HCgtzUM6Mq

— Russian Embassy in South Africa 🇷🇺 (@EmbassyofRussia) September 27, 2024

Verdict: False

The image of the F-16 is from 2019. It is an American F-16 that crashed.

Fact Check:

The White House announced billions in new Ukraine aid, which included more training for Ukrainian pilots to fly the F-16 and includes the Joint Standoff Weapon, a glide bomb, according to the Military Times.

The Russian Embassy in South Africa claimed to show a downed Ukrainian F-16. The embassy posted an image of the F-16, writing, “When you ask Ukrainian pilots where their F-16s are.” (RELATED: Did JD Vance Follow Trump Would-Be Assassin On Social Media?)

This claim is false. Through a reverse image search, Check Your Fact found that the image is from 2019. The image shows an American F-16 that crashed into a California warehouse in May 2019, according to Air and Space Forces Magazine.

“The wreckage of an F-16 is seen after crashing into a warehouse near March Air Reserve Base, Calif., in May 2019. An Air Force investigation found that improperly installed parts in the aircraft’s hydraulic system caused the crash. Air Force photo,” the image caption reads.

The outlet reported that improperly installed parts caused the crash, citing Air Force investigators. The pilot survived the crash and was part of the California National Guard, operating a F-16 from the South Dakota Air National Guard’s 114th Fighter Wing, per the outlet.