Russian soldiers awarded for downing Ukrainian F‑16 jet
Russian soldiers were awarded 15 million rubles for destroying an F-16 aircraft in Ukraine, reports "The Moscow Times." The Ural-based company Fores distributed these prizes to several soldiers.
15 million rubles, or over $177,000 CAD, were given to a group of soldiers for shooting down an F-16 fighter jet serving the Ukrainian air force, according to "The Moscow Times."
The prize was funded by Fores, located in the Urals. On Friday, it was announced that monetary awards were given to soldiers near the Russian-Ukrainian border. Photos from the ceremony were shared, but – according to "The Moscow Times" – the soldiers' faces were blurred.
This is another reward given to soldiers by Fores. Previously, it was reported that a Ural entrepreneur promised soldiers 5 million rubles for the first destroyed Leopard or Abrams tank.
Reward for shooting down the F-16
Ukraine received its first deliveries of F-16 aircraft in the summer of last year. Initially, then-U.S. President Joe Biden opposed supplying these machines to Ukraine.
As "The Moscow Times" recalls, in August 2024, Kyiv reported that during a Russian missile attack, an F-16 aircraft crashed. Its pilot, Oleksiy Mes, died at that time.
Ukraine lost additional F-16s in April and May.
Fores claimed it was the first Russian company to offer financial rewards to soldiers for destroying Western military equipment.
