Ukrainian forces have deployed French-supplied Mirage 2000 fighter jets in combat, successfully intercepting Russian cruise missiles during a large-scale overnight attack, as confirmed by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on March 7, 2025.
This marks the first official report of the French fighter being employed by Ukraine, which comes just weeks after the arrival of the first Mirage 2000-5 jets in the country.
The overnight assault saw Russia launch nearly 70 missiles, including cruise and ballistic missiles, alongside approximately 200 attack drones aimed at critical energy infrastructure in multiple Ukrainian regions, including Odesa, Poltava, Chernihiv and Ternopil. Residential buildings were also struck, with casualties reported in Kharkiv after a missile exploded near an apartment building.
Zelenskyy highlighted the decisive role of the newly operational Mirage 2000 jets, which, along with F-16 fighters, took to the skies to defend against the attack.
“Today, F-16 fighter jets and Mirage aircraft provided by France were used to protect Ukrainian skies,” the president said on X. “In particular, the Mirages successfully intercepted Russian cruise missiles.”
Last night, the Russian army carried out another massive attack on our energy infrastructure. Various facilities were targeted in several regions – Odesa, Poltava, Chernihiv, and Ternopil. In total, the Russians used nearly 70 missiles, both cruise and ballistic, as well as… pic.twitter.com/bpj5XCPYSW
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) March 7, 2025
From delivery to combat deployment
The Mirage 2000-5 jets used in the operation were part of a package announced by French President Emmanuel Macron in June 2024. The French Ministry of Armed Forces confirmed that the first aircraft arrived in Ukraine in early 2025, with Ukrainian pilots who had undergone several months of training in France taking the controls.
The exact number of Mirage 2000-5 jets delivered was not officially disclosed. However, previous reports indicated an initial batch of three aircraft would be provided by the end of the first quarter of 2025. France’s Minister of the Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornu emphasized that the jets had been specially modified to meet Ukraine’s operational needs.
Modernized for the Ukrainian battlefield
The Mirage 2000-5, a single-engine air superiority fighter produced by Dassault Aviation, is traditionally designed for air-to-air combat. However, before delivery the aircraft were upgraded at France’s Cazaux Air Base to enhance their capabilities.
These modifications included equipping the jets for air-to-ground missions, upgrading their electronic warfare systems to counter Russian jamming, and integrating the ability to launch SCALP-EG/Storm Shadow cruise missiles—already used by Ukraine’s Su-24 bombers. The Mirages were also armed with MICA air-to-air missiles and AASM Hammer precision bombs, further enhancing their versatility.
The introduction of the Mirage 2000 makes it the second Western fighter type to be integrated into Ukraine’s Air Force, following the arrival in August 2024 of F-16s from European partners, including the Netherlands and Denmark. Together, these Western jets are gradually reshaping Ukraine’s air power, complementing its aging fleet of Soviet-era MiG-29 and Su-27 aircraft.
Zelenskyy reiterates call for “a truce in the sky”
Ukrainian President Zelenskyy seized the opportunity to emphasize Ukraine’s need for stricter measures to limit Russia’s capacity to conduct air and missile strikes, which have targeted civilian infrastructure and left millions without power.
“The first steps toward real peace must include forcing the sole source of this war, Russia, to stop such attacks against life,” Zelenskyy said.
The concept of a temporary ceasefire in air and sea operations was initially proposed by President Zelenskyy on March 4, 2025, just days after a challenging meeting with his US counterpart, Donald Trump, at the White House.
The idea was publicly rejected by the Kremlin shortly before this latest attack.
“We will never accept it, and they perfectly are aware of that,” Russian Ambassador to the UK Andrey Kelin told Sky News. “We will only accept the final version, when we are going to sign it. Until then things are very shaky.”
