President Volodymyr Zelensky ordered an investigation into the circumstances that led to the death of F-16 pilot Maksym Ustimenko on the night of June 29. The tragic event occurred during a massive attack by the Russian Federation.
Death of pilot Ustimenko: Zelensky orders investigation into circumstances
According to the head of state, “almost the entire night the alarm was sounded in Ukraine – there were 477 drones in the sky, most of which were Russian-Iranian Shaheds, and 60 missiles of different types.
The Russians hit everything that provides life. There were hits on a residential building in Smela, a child was injured. Emergency services are working wherever necessary.”
Now watching
“Unfortunately, our F-16 pilot Maksym Ustimenko died while repelling the attack. Today he destroyed seven air targets. My condolences to his family and brothers,” Zelensky wrote on Telegram.
He ordered that all the circumstances of Ustimenko’s death be investigated and expressed gratitude to the Ukrainian aviation, which heroically defends the skies.
The President cited statistics on massive attacks by the Russian Federation over the past week: over the course of seven days, Russian troops launched 114 missiles, more than 1,270 attack drones, and nearly 1,100 guided aerial bombs at Ukraine.
Let us recall that this morning the Air Force reported that during the repelling of a massive air attack from the Russian Federation, on the night of June 29, first class pilot Lieutenant Colonel Maxim Ustimenko, born in 1993, died in an F-16 fighter.
The pilot used the entire range of onboard weapons and shot down seven air targets. While repelling the last one, his plane was damaged and began to lose altitude.
The pilot took the fighter away from the populated area to prevent possible destruction and casualties among the civilian population, but did not have time to eject and died.
