Pakistan says it shot down two Indian jets and captured pilot Abhinandan Varthaman
OCCURRED Feb 27 · 12:00 UTCRECORDED 2026-09-02T03:45:15.865Zfact_fidfb6hnis
✓ VERIFIEDfactrepo verdict
Multiple reputable sources, including the encyclopedia entries and Wikipedia articles, consistently report that on 27 February 2019, Pakistan claimed to have shot down two Indian jets and captured pilot Abhinandan Varthaman. India acknowledged losing one jet, and the pilot's capture and release are well-documented. The claim is verified.
On 27 February 2019, following Indian airstrikes in Balakot, Pakistan conducted retaliatory airstrikes in Indian-administered Kashmir. In the ensuing dogfight, Pakistan claimed to have shot down two Indian aircraft and captured Indian pilot Abhinandan Varthaman. India acknowledged the loss of one MiG-21 Bison and the capture of its pilot, who was released on 1 March 2019. India also claimed to have shot down a Pakistani F-16, a claim Pakistan denied and which was not supported by US fleet counts.
LOCATION Jammu and Kashmir, IndiaACTORS Pakistan Air Force, Indian Air Force, Abhinandan Varthaman#india-pakistan #kashmir #airstrikes #abhinandan-varthaman #2019
SOURCES (3)
- [1]2019 Jammu and Kashmir airstrikesWikipedia · en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019_Jammu_and_Kashmir_airstrikes
- [2]Abhinandan VarthamanWikipedia · en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abhinandan_Varthaman
- [3]2025 India–Pakistan crisisWikipedia · en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_India%E2%80%93Pakistan_crisis
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