FACT CHECK: No, Video Does Not Show Su-24 Shot Down By F-16

Elias Atienza | Senior Reporter

A video shared on X claims to show a Russian Su-24 shot down by a Ukrainian F-16.

Verdict: False

The video shows a Su-35 reportedly downed over Kherson in the summer of 2022. There is no evidence that an F-16 shot down a Russian Su-24.

Fact Check:

Social media users have been sharing a video of a jet on fire falling from the sky, claiming it shows a Su-24 shot down by a Ukrainian F-16. One user wrote, “BREAKING NEWS! Su-24 was shot down by 🇺🇦 F-16, approximately 50 km from the front line. ☑️ Russian side confirms this information. 👇🏼 Below is a comparison of the sizes of these planes.”

This claim is false. Through a reverse image search, Check Your Fact found that the video is from July 2022 and reportedly shows a Su-35 downed near Kherson in southern Ukraine. A Su-35 was destroyed near Kherson on July 19, 2022, according to WarSpotting.

“Reportedly, a Russian Sukhoi Su-35 downed in Ukraine’s Kherson region,” the tweet reads. (RELATED: Will Hurricane Milton Be A Category 6 Hurricane?)

There is no evidence that a Ukrainian F-16 shot down a Russian Su-24 or any other Russian military aircraft. The Kyiv Post reported that Ukrainian media has said such reports have been unconfirmed and with the exception of a singular Russian Telegram channel, most Russian sources have been silent or denied the claim. For example, FighterBomber, a Russian Telegram channel with close ties to Russian military aviation, denied the claim, according to the outlet.

“Dear subscribers. The war is in its third year. Wars are [fought] not only on the battlefield, but also on the Internet. Both ours and others are fighting for your, in some places, immature brains. They either p*ss in your ears or don’t tell you the whole truth, or don’t tell you anything at all. It’s different in all cases. Some people get paid for a pure lie,” FighterBomber wrote in its Oct. 13 post, per the outlet.

Check Your Fact has not found any evidence that Ukrainian F-16s have shot down any Russian aircraft. A total of 83 Russian aircraft have been destroyed in the war from various causes, according to WarSpotting.

Elias Atienza

Senior Reporter
Follow Elias on Twitter Have a fact check suggestion? Send ideas to [email protected].

Trending

FACT CHECK: Did Jimmy Kimmel Recently Claim He Was Leaving The Country?
FACT CHECK: No, Jack Smith Was Not Convicted Of Treason And Executed At GITMO