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• Ukraine said one of its F-16 pilots downed a record-breaking six cruise missiles in one mission.
• That shows how much Ukraine's air force has developed, a former US F-16 pilot told BI.
• All of its systems had to work well, and it showed how Ukraine is fighting more like the West.

A Ukrainian pilot's record-breaking shootdown of six missiles with an F-16 offers insight into how much its air force has developed as it fights back against Russia's invasion.

Throughout much of the war, Ukraine's air force faced one of the world's biggest air forces with a fleet of older, Soviet-designed combat aircraft while begging the West for F-16s readily available in NATO arsenals.

The US, however, refused to allow the transfer, even as other allies pushed to give Ukraine the aircraft. Washington felt they would arrive too late, that training would take too long, and the jets could prompt Russian escalation. But it eventually relented.

Early usage of the aircraft in combat saw the loss of an airframe and the Ukrainian pilot, raising questions about how much of an impact the jets could make.

But Ukraine's assertion that one of its F-16 pilots downed six Russian cruise missiles in one mission — which it said is a record for the American-made fighter jet — shows how much Ukraine's air force has developed, a former American F-16 pilot told Business Insider.

Responding to missile threats requires coordination and quick reaction. Ret. Col. John Venable, a 25-year veteran of the US Air Force and a former F-16 pilot, told BI the pilot being alert, able to get a notification, and get out in time to intercept all of those missiles "says a lot" about "the capabilities are of the Ukrainian Air Force."

The reported intercept spoke to "their ability to actually detect" cruise missiles and "then scramble fighters in order to successfully intercept them." he said. Cruise missiles do not fire back like a Russian jet would, but it was a very impressive showing of Ukraine's air force.

Responding like this was "no simple task," Venable said, which required all of Ukraine's command and control systems, as well as its sensors and radars, to work together. He said that to "actually find, fix and engage threats that are inbound to your nation, that says a lot about their command and control."

Fighting like the West

Venable said the event shows how much Ukraine has been fighting like the West does.

He said Russia's "command and control apparatus is basically scripted," which means they have an issue letting pilots "go out and actually do what you are required to do without someone doing a puppeteer thing over the top of you."

The Ukrainian F-16 pilot pulling off what Ukraine says they did "says a lot about how far the Ukrainians have come" from their Soviet start and that "scheme of close control."

Peter Layton, a fellow at the Griffith Asia Institute and a former Royal Australian Air Force officer, told BI the intercept showed the pilot had "good training" since he was "able to react quickly to a changing situation."

"Russian pilots have a reputation of needing to receive orders from their ground controllers,'" he said. This event demonstrates Ukrainian pilots "have adopted Western methods of operating both independently and aggressively when the situation is right."

For instance, Ukraine said the pilot, who said he was out of missiles and short on fuel, made a quick decision to keep fighting, pursuing two more of the Russian missiles with guns, a riskier engagement requiring control of the plane and confidence a safe airfield was nearby.

Ukraine, generally, has adopted a more Western style of fighting, with individuals and leaders making quick decisions away from the central command. But Russia, though it has been learning, has been hampered by not delegating such responsibility, making it slower to respond to battlefield developments and even losing commanders as a result.

Ukraine's F-16 pilots have received training from a coalition of countries, including the Netherlands, Canada, Denmark, the US, and Romania.

The exchange is not one-sided. While many of Ukraine's soldiers have received training from Western allies, those allies say Ukraine is teaching them about tactics and how to fight Russia, too.

Western officials and warfare experts say Ukraine's tactics and successes reveal lessons that the West should learn for fighting Russia.

These lessons have been something of a trade-off as the West provides more gear and as Ukraine signs agreements with countries like the UK, Denmark, and France, with the war showing vulnerabilities in systems and tactics.

The Westernization of Ukraine's army aids its ambition to join NATO, an uncertainty while the country is at war with Russia and a question in the aftermath.

A small air force

Before Russia's full-scale invasion, some expected Ukraine's air force would be immediately destroyed in a war with Russia.

Russia attempted to wipe out Ukraine's air force at the start but failed, with Ukraine able to disperse many jets and keep them intact. Those surviving aircraft have played key roles in its defense, even as the skies remain heavily contested.

Ukraine's air force is expanding and becoming more Western with the arrival of F-16s and a pledge from France to send Mirage aircraft.

Warfare experts say Ukraine has nowhere near enough F-16s to make a difference against Russia, and the few it does have are older versions, less powerful than what many allies have and Russia's best jets. Ukraine appears to be using its few F-16s primarily to help its air defenses battle missile threats rather than sending them on risky missions against Russian jets or critical ground targets.

The Ukrainian jets, 50-year-old aircraft made by Lockheed Martin, typically fly with a loadout of four air-to-air missiles and are equipped with bolt-on self-defense pylons for detecting incoming missiles.

Venable said the air-defense mission has met his expectations for how Ukraine would use them.

Ukraine, Venable said, does not have enough F-16s, nor does it have the support systems or upgrades, to be able to use them aggressively to change the shape of the war.

Ukraine's air force is not perfect, Venable said. But the progress so far is clear. "As far as being able to intercept inbound missiles and being able to engage them, this says a lot about their capabilities."

• I spent two nights in Snowmass, a ski town in Colorado.
• Snowmass is often mentioned in reference to its popular neighbor, Aspen.
• I've visited both and would book future trips to Snowmass.

It's hard to pinpoint what makes Colorado's ski town Snowmass stand out.

I could argue that it's the mountain itself. As one of the state's largest ski mountains, people spend entire days on the slopes, hitting every type of terrain and avoiding a single crowd.

I could say it's the community. It's impossible to avoid a friendly conversation with your waiter or the couple sitting next to you sipping après margaritas.

Maybe it's the town's casual nature. Sure, Snowmass has high-end restaurants and luxury lodges, but no one bats an eye if you eat $88 sashimi in Crocs and sweatpants.

Sara Stookey Sanchez, Snowmass' public relations manager, told me that it boils down to a "vibe."

"What I think makes us so special, and it's truly a terrible answer, but it's a vibe," she said. "The community lives and breathes Snowmass."

With Snowmass sitting just 15 minutes from Aspen, the town is rarely mentioned without reference to its glitzy neighbor. But after spending three days in Snowmass, I discovered what Stookey Sanchez meant.

Although both towns have their appeal, I'll stick to Snowmass for future ski trips.

In terms of skiing, Snowmass is the winner

Colorado is dotted with ski towns, and over the past four winters, I've checked more than a dozen off my list.

I've headed to Vail, where I felt transported to Europe. As a snowboarder living in Denver, Winter Park and Breckenridge have become favorites thanks to their proximity to the city. During my first Colorado winter, I spent three nights exploring Aspen while keeping my eyes peeled for celebrities.

Each destination has its highlights, but in terms of the actual mountain, Snowmass stands out.

Snowmass is one of the four mountains that make up the Aspen Snowmass Ski Resort. The other three include Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands, and Buttermilk.

Snowmass was ideal for me, an intermediate snowboader. There was plenty of terrain to explore, and for a full day, I rarely lapped a ski run. Instead, I breezed through empty lift lines and carved fresh tracks across the mountain.

Plus, the mountain seemed suited for all levels of experience. There are terrain parks, bunny hills, and plenty of black runs.

Meanwhile, I couldn't even snowboard during my trip to Aspen. While Aspen is known as a popular ski town, Aspen Mountain's terrain is limited to intermediate and expert skiers who can get down steep runs. When I visited a few years ago, I wasn't comfortable on the mountain. Even today, I'm sure I could get down the mountain, but I'm not sure I'd enjoy it.

During my three-day stay, I heard this from others. Skiers and snowboarders raved about Snowmass, and plenty mentioned that although they stayed in Aspen, they were coming to Snowmass every day to ski.

While Aspen has the reputation, Snowmass has the scale

The town of Snowmass is split into two areas: Snowmass Base and Snowmass Mall. Snowmass Base Village is much more modern, with fine dining options, a skating rink, and luxury condos and hotels. There's also the Snowmass Mall, home to retail, food, and more accommodations.

Snowmass' main appeal — at least to me — is its ski-in, ski-out accommodations. More than 14 of the town's hotels and condos have direct access to lifts. For example, I spent two nights at the Viceroy Snowmass, where a lift line was less than a five-minute walk from my hotel room. For me, getting on the mountain easily is a huge advantage when it comes to a ski trip.

Aspen, on the other hand, has far fewer ski-in, ski-out options. A quick search online shows just six, including The Little Nell, where a night during the winter rarely costs less than $2,500.

There are some areas where Aspen shines. Although upscale, the town itself feels more charming. Quaint buildings fill the town center, and the town's rich mining history is hard to ignore as you walk between Prada and Valentino stores. Art galleries dot the town, and a night at Aspen's Belly Up concert venue is something you won't find in Snowmass.

Plus, the food options in Aspen are incomparable. The town has more restaurants than Snowmass, including Michelin-starred options like Bosq.

With Aspen's exclusive reputation comes a higher price. Aspen is considered one of the most expensive ski towns in the US. In a 2024 ranking of the country's most expensive vacation destinations, OptimosTravel said the average weeklong trip to Aspen was $5,330 per person. According to Kayak, the average weeknight hotel cost in the first two weeks of January in Snowmass was about $1,040 compared to Aspen's $1,900 average.

After visiting both, finding cheaper eats was more doable in Snowmass, where you could find $15 sandwiches and $9 breakfast burritos.

Meanwhile, some costs between the towns remain the same. The mountains, for example, all share the same lift tickets, so skiing — no matter where you are — will cost about $250 a day.

But if you're staying in Snowmass, where accommodations are cheaper, your dollar stretches further, and you'll have a little more budget to après in Aspen.

The debate between the two towns is age-old

With only 15 minutes between the two towns, I'm far from the first to compare the pair, and I won't be the last.

Plenty of people prefer Aspen — it's a charming town to see and be seen. Others, however, love the expansive outdoors and laid-back vibe Snowmass provides.

And even if you do end up in Snowmass, I'd argue that a trip there wouldn't be complete without at least one night spent drinking, dining, and wandering Aspen.

For me, a ski trip boils down to the skiing itself. If I had to choose between lugging my snowboarding gear on a bus each morning versus finding a ski-in, ski-out condo in Snowmass and hitting more terrain, I'd choose the latter.

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King Charles III and Rod Stewart shared a playful moment involving a pair of pruning shears.

The king, 76, and the rocker, 80, appeared together at an event for the 35th anniversary of Charles’ charity, The King’s Foundation, in Scotland on Wednesday, January 15. 

At Dumfries House, where the foundation is headquartered, Charles presided over a time capsule ceremony — placing meaningful items into a wooden box — as Stewart, and his wife, Penny Lancaster, looked on. When the king picked up a pair of shears, he jokingly pointed them in Stewart’s direction as the “Maggie May” singer pretended to flinch. Charles let out a hearty laugh while Stewart grinned.

The King’s Foundation, which was launched in 1990, will mark its milestone anniversary throughout the year by collecting items for the capsule that “represent the achievements and legacy” of the foundation, according to a press release published on the royal family’s website. 

'Remarkable' King Charles Spoke to Rod Stewart About Cancer Treatment

“The items will focus particularly on what inspired people to devote their time to protecting the built and natural world,” the release stated. “Once collated, the time capsule will be buried on the Dumfries House estate and opened a hundred years from now.”

Charles, for his part, seemed in good spirits amid his health struggles. The monarch announced in February 2024 that he’d been diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer following a procedure to correct an enlarged prostate. During his annual Christmas address last month, he referenced his diagnosis.

“I am speaking to you today from the Chapel of the former Middlesex Hospital in London — now itself a vibrant community space — and thinking especially of the many thousands of professionals and volunteers here in the United Kingdom and across the Commonwealth who, with their skills and out of the goodness of their heart, care for others, often at some cost to themselves,” he said.

“From a personal point of view, I offer special, heartfelt thanks to the selfless doctors and nurses who, this year, have supported me and other members of my family through the uncertainties and anxieties of illness, and have helped provide the strength, care and comfort we have needed,” he continued. “I am deeply grateful, too, to all those who have offered us their own kind words of sympathy and encouragement.”

King Charles Jokes 'I'm Still Alive' Amid News He's Continuing Treatment

Charles’ daughter-in-law Kate Middleton revealed her own cancer diagnosis in March 2024 and said that she was undergoing chemotherapy. Both continued their treatments as they resumed their royal duties; Kate finished her treatment in September and announced on Tuesday, January 14, that she is in remission. 

In an Instagram post shared at the time, Middleton, 43, thanked The Royal Marsden, a London hospital specializing in cancer treatment.

“My heartfelt thanks goes to all those who have quietly walked alongside [Prince] William and me as we have navigated everything,” the princess said. “We couldn’t have asked for more. The care and advice we have received throughout my time as a patient has been exceptional.”

“In my new role as Joint Patron of The Royal Marsden, my hope is, that by supporting groundbreaking research and clinical excellence, as well as promoting patient and family wellbeing, we might save many more lives, and transform the experience of all those impacted by cancer.”