The Ukrainian Air Force has released photographs showing Mirage 2000 fighter jets intercepting Russian cruise missiles during a recent airstrike on Ukraine.
“Historic photos from a Ukrainian pilot! Mirage 2000 fighters of the Air Force, provided by France to Ukraine, shoot down Kh-101 cruise missiles in Ukrainian airspace during a Russian attack on March 7, 2025,” according to the statement released by Ukraine’s Air Force.
On the night of March 7, the Russian Federation launched a large-scale combined aerial attack against Ukraine. Ukrainian air defenses successfully destroyed 34 enemy missiles and 100 drones. An additional 86 unmanned aerial vehicles failed to reach their intended targets.
Ukraine received its first Mirage 2000-5 fighters at the beginning of February 2025, following an announcement by French President Emmanuel Macron in early June 2024.
The Mirage 2000-5 and F-16 fighters operate similarly in air defense roles, particularly effective against targets like cruise missiles and drones. Equipped with two external fuel tanks, each Mirage 2000-5, like the F-16, can carry up to six air-to-air missiles.