French Mirage 2000-5 jets make combat debut in Ukraine: first images released

On the night of March 7, the invading Russian forces launched another massive missile strike on Ukraine, Defense Express writes. According to the Ukrainian Air Force Command, the attack included 67 missiles—more than half of them Kh-101/Kh-5SM, along with Kalibr, Iskander-M/KN-23, S-300, and Kh-59/69 aviation missiles. In addition, Russia deployed 194 strike drones and decoy drones.

The Ukrainian Air Force Command confirmed that French Mirage 2000-5 fighter jets took part in intercepting enemy missiles and drones—marking their first combat operation in Ukraine since their delivery.

Later, the Ukrainian Air Force released historic images from one of its pilots, capturing the Mirage 2000-5 shooting down a Russian Kh-101 cruise missile. Notably, the air-to-air missile was launched at a near-90-degree angle.

The exact missile used to down the Kh-101 has not been confirmed, but Defense Express has previously detailed the weapons compatible with the Mirage 2000-5. Ukrainian pilots could have employed one of several air-to-air missiles, including the MICA with a range of 80 km, the Super 530D capable of striking targets at 40 km, or the R550 Magic 2, which has a range of 20 km.

Among these options, the MICA is the most versatile and widely used, as it can be launched from all suspension points except the central one. In contrast, the Super 530D and R550 Magic 2 have certain restrictions on their deployment, limiting their flexibility in combat scenarios.

• In early February, French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu officially announced that Ukraine had received its first Mirage 2000-5 fighter jets.