During the repulse of a massive attack by the Russian Federation, the pilot of an F-16 fighter jet, first-class pilot Lieutenant Colonel Maksym Ustymenko, died. About this reported Air Force of the ZSU.
“Fighting a massive enemy air attack, first-class pilot Lieutenant Colonel Maksym Ustymenko, born in 1993, died on an F-16 aircraft. The pilot used the entire range of on-board weapons and shot down seven air targets. During the last one, his plane was damaged and began to lose altitude. Maksym Ustymenko did everything he could, drove the car away from the settlement, but did not have time to eject.” – the message says.
According to the information of the Air Force of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, on the night of June 29, Russian troops carried out a large-scale missile-drone attack on Ukraine, using various types of missiles and attack drones — in total, more than 500 aerial objects. To repulse this attack, all available means of the Defense Forces, capable of destroying enemy air targets, including F-16 fighters, were involved.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy posthumously conferred the title of Hero of Ukraine on Maksym Ustimenka. In the presidential decree, his rank is listed as colonel.
During his daily video address, Zelensky described Ustimenko as one of the best Ukrainian pilots:
“Maxim Ustymenko fought since the time of the ATO, he mastered four types of aircraft, and he has really important results for Ukraine. It hurts to lose such people.”
Maksym Ustymenko was a classmate of Ukrainian pilot Andrii Pilshchikov (“Jus”), who died two years ago.
“He was the super-intelligence of the group, a great IT guy. But he had big, strong wings. Great responsibility. Great dedication to the cause. He should have become an air marshal. Together with Andrei from the first year, together forever in the sky.”, – said the mother of “Jus”.
