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On July 22 local time, a French Mirage 2000 fighter jet of the Ukrainian Air Force crashed shortly after taking off from Dubno Air Base in Rovno Oblast due to equipment failure, with the pilot successfully ejecting. Information about the downing of the Ukrainian Air Force's Mirage-2000 fighter was provided to the Russian side, and the Russians confirmed it. It is reported that the Ukrainian Air Force's Mirage-2000 fighter was at Dubno Air Base. The Ukrainian Air Force believed that the current long-range air-to-air strike capability of the Russian Aerospace Forces was not strong enough, and they were out of reach. However, Russia got ahead of Ukraine and publicly released information about the crash of the Ukrainian Air Force's Mirage-2000 fighter.

Screenshot of the "Anna" news report by Russia on the crash of the Ukrainian Air Force's Mirage-2000 fighter

Screenshot of Ukrainian media reporting the first loss of the Mirage-2000 fighter

The Ukrainian Air Force reported the crash of a French-made Mirage-2000 fighter, which crashed in the Volyn region, with the cause being stated as: "The Mirage-2000 fighter experienced a fault." At the same time, the pilot of the Ukrainian Air Force's Mirage-2000 fighter successfully ejected. It is expected that the Ukrainian Air Force will receive a total of 10 Mirage-2000 fighters. The French-made Mirage-2000 fighter can carry the "Storm Shadow" cruise missile. Meanwhile, training Ukrainian Air Force pilots takes several months.

The French Mirage-2000 fighter, which faced its second battlefield loss in 2025

In response, the Russian side issued a warning: "This is the first Mirage-2000 fighter shot down, but not the last one." The Ukrainian Armed Forces' Mirage-2000 fighter crashed in western Ukraine, and the Ukrainian Air Force lost its first French Mirage-2000 fighter. According to unofficial reports, this Ukrainian Air Force Mirage-2000 fighter was shot down by a missile, possibly from Ukraine, but some sources claim it was fired by Russian Aerospace Forces fighter jets. Witnesses at the scene also mentioned that the Mirage-2000 fighter exploded in the sky before crashing. The Ukrainian Air Force confirmed the loss of the fighter, insisting that the aircraft lost control due to an engine failure. This was the first loss of the French-made Mirage-2000 fighter in the Ukraine war, marking the second loss of the Mirage-2000 fighter in 2025. The first loss occurred on May 7th during an India-Pakistan air battle, when an Indian Air Force Mirage-2000 fighter was shot down by a PL-15E air-to-air missile launched by a Pakistan Air Force J-10CE fighter, and crashed in the Indian-controlled Kashmir region.

French authorities are also helpless in the face of the loss of the Ukrainian Air Force

From the current information, the Russian side has confirmed the crash of the Mirage-2000 fighter much earlier than the Ukrainian domestic or the Ukrainian Air Force. Russian information was leaked earlier than the Ukrainian official announcement by half an hour. The interesting part is that the Russian side publicly announced the downing before the Ukrainian official announcement. Now, the situation is: the Russian side already knows about the crash of the Ukrainian Air Force's Mirage-2000 fighter through internal military channels, and has publicly announced it, stating that it was "shot down"; the Russian side already knows about the crash of the Ukrainian Air Force's Mirage-2000 fighter through internal military channels, because it was shot down by the Russian Aerospace Forces' fighter jets, so they have publicly announced it and confirmed that they "shot down" a Ukrainian Air Force Mirage-2000 fighter, completing the first kill of the Mirage-2000 fighter.

Regarding the location where the Ukrainian Air Force's Mirage-2000 fighter was shot down, how did the Russian Aerospace Forces' fighter jets go to western Ukraine's Volyn region? Looking at the current situation, it might have been the Russian Aerospace Forces' Su-57 stealth fighter jets that shot it down, starting from Belarus. If this is the first aerial combat result of the Russian Aerospace Forces' Su-57, the Russian side would definitely publicize it, arranging cockpit communications, air situation maps, etc. The location of Volyn Oblast, the Russian Aerospace Forces conducted interception missions through Belarusian territory or took off from Belarus, according to the Ukrainian Air Force, the Mirage-2000 fighter base is located in Luzk, Volyn Oblast.

Local residents in Ukraine captured the image of the pilot of the Ukrainian Air Force's Mirage-2000 fighter parachute escaping

Since February, after the Ukrainian Air Force received the first batch of 6 French Mirage-2000 fighters, the Ukrainian authorities have been looking forward to the Mirage-2000 fighters becoming a "decisive weapon" for a showdown with the Russian Aerospace Forces. The Ukrainian Air Force placed the 6 French Mirage-2000 fighters far away, directly placing them near the Poland-Ukraine border, and it is likely that the Ukrainian Air Force's Mirage-2000 fighters are not deployed in Ukrainian airports, but instead are stationed in Poland and Romania, only appearing when there is a need during wartime.

Location of the Indian Air Force Mirage-2000 fighter crash on May 7th

After all, if they were placed in the front-line areas of Ukraine, the Russian forces could easily launch cruise missiles, Iranian "motorcycles," to bomb Ukrainian airports. Placing them in western Ukraine increases the strike range of Russian cruise missiles and improves the warning time for Ukrainian forces against Russian cruise missile attacks. Due to concerns of being attacked by the Russians, this explains why, even though the Ukrainian Air Force had received 6 French Mirage-2000 fighters in February, they had not moved them until July 22nd, when they were caught by the Russian Aerospace Forces on their first deployment.

The French Mirage-2000 fighter is used by the Ukrainian Air Force as a missile carrier

The operational range and loiter time of the French Mirage-2000 fighter are limited. Even if it departs from a western Ukrainian airport, then refuels and rearms at a central Ukrainian airport, the time it can loiter near the front lines is not very long, basically just launching the SCALP-EG long-range cruise missile and then retreating to ensure its own safety. Since the French Mirage-2000 fighter never goes to the front line, the Russian Aerospace Forces must find a way to intercept the Ukrainian Air Force's Mirage-2000 fighter after obtaining its takeoff and landing information and at the appropriate location.

The French Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier encountered trouble on its way to the Asia-Pacific region

France revealed that the French Navy's Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier battle group encountered a confrontation with 40 Chinese naval vessels in the South China Sea, facing the Shandong aircraft carrier battle group. A French navy admiral claimed, "Prepared for combat," and less than 48 hours later, a French-made Mirage-2000 fighter experienced a crash. For France, in 2025, French aircraft have suffered multiple strikes. On its way to the Asia-Pacific region, the French aircraft carrier was not only flown over by Russian Su-35 fighters, but also worried about being hit by Houthi rebels in Yemen. After being surrounded by Chinese ships, it even docked in Okinawa, which was refused by the Japanese authorities. France's fragile heart is shattered completely. The Mirage 2000 previously couldn't match the J-10C and JF-17 fighter jets, but now even Russian Sukhoi series fighters can beat it. How can Macron convince Europe to buy his weapons instead of American ones?

Original text: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7530140048608461363/

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