Latest news with #MaksymUstymenko
Time of India
44 minutes ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Maksym Ustymenko, the F‑16 pilot shot down by Russia, awarded Hero of Ukraine title
Ukrainian F-16 pilot Maksym Ustymenko, a seasoned aviator and combat veteran, was posthumously awarded the title Hero of Ukraine following his death in the country's largest-ever Russian aerial attack. Ustymenko downed seven targets before guiding his damaged aircraft away from civilians, marking a heroic final act Maksym Ustymenko: a legacy of heroism in Ukraine's Air Force Combat veteran and top-class aviator Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Final mission during largest Russian aerial attack National mourning and recognition Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Growing role of F-16 pilots in Ukraine's defense Maksym Ustymenko, a decorated Ukrainian F-16 pilot , was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine after he was killed intercepting Russia's largest missile and drone assault on June 29, 2025. He died after his F-16 was shot down by Russia and he tried to prevent his aircraft from crashing into a populated in 1993, Maksym Yuriiovych Ustymenko was a graduate of the Ivan Kozhedub National Air Force University and served in the Ukrainian Air Force since the early days of what Ukraine calls the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) in 2014. Ustymenko became one of Ukraine's most capable military read: World War 3 fear is back! Russia fires over 500 drones, missiles, Ukrainian F-16 fighter pilot killed, Kyi He was certified on four aircraft types and known for exceptional flight skills and mission precision. His colleagues regarded him as one of the finest tactical pilots in Ukraine's defense the night of June 28-29, 2025, Russia launched 537 aerial weapons against Ukraine, 477 drones and 60 missiles, in what officials described as the war's most intense air raid to date. Ustymenko took off in an F-16 Fighting Falcon, one of several recently delivered by NATO to the Ukrainian Air Force, Ustymenko successfully neutralized seven Russian aerial threats. His aircraft was hit during an engagement with the final target. In his last moments, he directed the failing jet away from residential areas, ultimately dying in the crash without ejecting. The Air Force described his actions as 'heroic,' stating, 'He died like a hero.'Also read: Russia seizes key lithium field in a dare for US-Ukraine minerals deal President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed the death and posthumous award during his June 29 address, stating: 'It is painful to lose such people. My condolences to his family, relatives, friends, and comrades.' Ustymenko was also posthumously promoted to the rank of Colonel and awarded the Order 'Golden Star.'Ustymenko's death coincides with the loss of the fourth Ukrainian F-16 since their February 2024 deployment. Previous F-16 losses include pilots Pavlo Ivanov and others in April and May. His sacrifice follows that of classmate Andrii 'Juice' Pilshchykov, who died in is survived by a four-year-old son. His widow's remarks, shared by the wife of fellow pilot Oleksiy 'Moonfish' Mes, expressed gratitude for his bravery and enduring use of American-made F-16s has played a critical role in Ukraine's air defense strategy, significantly improving its ability to intercept Russian drones and missiles. During the June 29 attack, Ukraine downed 436 drones and 38 missiles, with F-16 pilots like Ustymenko at the escalation in air warfare has intensified global discussions about advanced support for Ukraine. Officials warn that the scale and sophistication of recent Russian attacks demonstrate the continued need for air defense read: Pokrovsk in peril? Tensions surge as 111,000 Russian troops gather near Ukraine's frontline hotspot President Zelenskyy emphasized that pressure on Russia and further international aid remain critical: 'Putin long ago decided he would keep waging war. This war must be brought to an end.'
The Independent
5 hours ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Ukraine-Russia war latest: Moscow launches largest missile and drone attack on Ukraine since start of war
Russia has launched its biggest aerial attack on Ukraine of the war so far as president Volodymyr Zelensky has once again called for more pressure on Putin. Some 477 drones were launched with 60 missiles of various types across Ukraine, where air raid alerts sounded all night long, the president said, as he accused Russia of 'targeting everything that sustains life.' A child was injured as a residential building in Smila, central Ukraine, was struck and Zelensky mourned an F-16 pilot, Maksym Ustymenko, who died after destroying seven aerial targets. An investigation has been launched into the circumstances of his death. ' Moscow will not stop as long as it has the capability to launch massive strikes. Just this week alone, there have been more than 114 missiles, over 1,270 drones, and nearly 1,100 glide bombs,' Zelensky said in his statement. 'Putin long ago decided he would keep waging war, despite the world's calls for peace. This war must be brought to an end — pressure on the aggressor is needed, and so is protection. Protection from ballistic and other missiles, from drones, and from terror.'
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ukraine loses an F-16 pilot and his jet while fighting one of Russia's biggest ever aerial attacks
A Ukrainian pilot was killed and his F-16 fighter jet crashed after Russia launched a huge aerial assault involving hundreds of drones and scores of missiles overnight, the Ukrainian military said on Sunday. The airman, named as 1st Class Lt. Col. Maksym Ustymenko by the Ukrainian air force, was the third F-16 pilot killed since the Ukrainians began flying the jets last summer, and his plane was the fourth F-16 Ukraine has lost since then. The air force said Ustymenko 'did everything he could to steer the aircraft away from a populated area, but he did not have time to eject.' Ustymenko's death is a major loss for Ukraine. Only a small number of the country's top pilots have been trained to fly F-16s, the most advanced of Ukraine's fighter jets. The training is highly specialized and takes months to complete. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ustymenko destroyed seven targets before being killed, praising him and the Ukrainian air force for 'heroically protecting' the country's skies. Zelensky said Moscow launched 477 drones and 60 missiles towards six different locations overnight into Sunday – one of Russia's largest ever aerial assaults in terms of weapons deployed, according to a CNN tally. Russia has ramped up its airborne attacks against Ukraine in recent weeks, launching hundreds of drones and missiles nearly every night. These assaults are not just bigger and more frequent; they are also more concentrated and executed in a way that makes them a lot more difficult to combat – as they are flown at higher altitudes, out of reach of machine guns. Zelensky said on Sunday that more than 114 missiles, over 1,270 drones, and nearly 1,100 glide bombs were launched by Russia against Ukraine just this week. The Ukrainian leader pleaded with Kyiv's Western allies to provide more aerial defenses for his country, saying Russia will continue to attack Ukraine for as long as it can. 'This war must be brought to an end — pressure on the aggressor is needed, and so is protection. Protection from ballistic and other missiles, from drones, and from terror,' Zelensky said. He added that Ukraine was ready to buy 'American systems' to strengthen its air defenses – a clear call to US President Donald Trump and his administration to allow Ukraine to purchase the Patriot air defense systems. The Patriots are widely considered to be among the best air defense systems. While there are other systems manufactured by some of Ukraine's other allies, none can match the Patriots when it comes to protection against advanced hypersonic and ballistic missiles. Ukraine is known to have roughly half a dozen of the US-made Patriot air defense systems, although the exact numbers and their locations are closely guarded secrets. The Patriots play a crucial role in Ukraine's air defense, protecting millions of civilians from Russian missiles. But Kyiv is at risk of running out of missiles for these systems, as Trump continues to threaten withdrawing US aid from Ukraine. The Ukrainian air force said Sunday it had downed 211 drones and 38 missiles launched by Moscow overnight. Russian strikes were recorded in six locations with debris reported across eight locations, it added. The Russian Ministry of Defense claimed the strikes targeted Ukraine's 'military-industrial complex facilities and oil refineries,' but the Ukrainians said civilian infrastructure objects were hit. At least 11 people were injured, including two children, in a Russian attack in the city of Smila, in the central region of Cherkasy, local officials said in an update on Sunday. Three nine-story buildings, private houses, and cars were significantly damaged in the shelling, as well as four educational institutions and a psychiatric hospital, Ihor Taburets, head of Cherkasy regional military administration, said. Also on Sunday, Zelensky announced he signed a decree that would take Ukraine out of the Ottawa Treaty, the international agreement that bans the use of anti-personnel landmines. A long-signalled move by Ukraine, the withdrawal still needs to be approved by Ukraine's parliament. Kyiv has long argued that it cannot continue to be member of the treaty because its attacker – Russia – is using landmines in its own teritory. 'This is a step that has long been demanded by the reality of war. Russia is not a party to this Convention and uses mines against our military and civilians on a massive scale. We cannot remain bound by conditions when the enemy has no restrictions,' Roman Kostenko, a member of the Ukrainian Parliament, said in a statement. According to the United Nations, Ukraine is the most heavily mined country in the world. Russia has been using mines extensively in Ukraine's territory, but according a 2023 report from Human Rights Watch found that Ukraine has also used antipersonnel landmines. The US under the Biden Administration approved shipments of landmines to Ukraine last November. Large swathes of Ukrainian land, especially along the frontlines in the east and in areas that were once occupied by Russia, are off limits to civilians because of the mines. Makeshift signs and barriers warning people not to enter are a common sight on the edges of fields and forests and near roads. Ukraine's Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the country 'has made a difficult but necessary political decision' to withdraw from the Ottawa convention, saying the government was 'convinced' it was necessary to do so. At the start of this year, the pact had 165 member states – although several major powers, including Russia, China, India, Pakistan and the United States, have never signed up to it. Finland, Poland, Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania – which all border Russia – have also made moves to pull out of the treaty arguing they were essential for defense. CNN's Sophie Tanno contributed reporting.
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First Post
7 hours ago
- Politics
- First Post
Ukrainian F-16 jet, pilot shot down as Russia launches massive aerial attack
A Ukrainian F-16 fighter pilot has died after his jet crashed while trying to stop a major Russian air attack involving hundreds of drones and missiles. The attack caused damage across the country as Russia continues intense night-time strikes. read more The photograph shows an F-16 fighter plane from Poland during an air policing mission along with a Nato allied aircraft on March 24, 2022. (Representative Image, Credit: Reuters) A Ukrainian F-16 fighter pilot was killed after his plane crashed while trying to stop a large Russian air attack, officials said on Sunday. The attack involved hundreds of drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles, as Russia continues heavy night-time strikes in the fourth year of the war. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy honoured the pilot, Maksym Ustymenko, by posthumously awarding him the title of Hero of Ukraine, the country's highest honour. Zelenskyy also urged the United States and other Western allies to provide more help to strengthen Ukraine's air defences. The latest attack damaged homes and infrastructure across the country and injured at least 12 people, according to local officials. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Cities under fire In Kyiv, families took shelter in metro stations as air raid sirens sounded. Gunfire and explosions were heard in the capital and in the western city of Lviv, where such attacks are less frequent. The governor of Lviv region, which borders Poland, said critical infrastructure was targeted in the raid. Ukraine has now lost three F-16 jets since it began flying the American-made aircraft last year. The government has not disclosed the exact number of F-16s in its fleet, but these jets have become an important part of Ukraine's defence. The pilot flew the damaged jet away from a settlement but had no time to eject before it crashed, the Ukrainian Air Force said. 'The pilot used all of his onboard weapons and shot down seven air targets. While shooting down the last one, his aircraft was damaged and began to lose altitude,' the Air Force said on Telegram. F-16 limitations in drone warfare Ukrainian military expert Roman Svitan, speaking earlier this month, said the F-16 was not ideally suited to all tasks in the war, particularly repelling drones which swarm Ukrainian cities, as it is better used against higher-speed targets. Zelenskiy, speaking in his nightly video address, said Ustymenko had been flying missions since the time of a campaign that began in 2014 against Russian-financed separatists who had seized parts of eastern Ukraine. 'He mastered four types of aircraft and had important results to his name in defending Ukraine,' he said. 'It is painful to lose such people.' Scale of the Russian assault The Ukrainian military said in total Russia launched 477 drones and 60 missiles of various types against Ukraine overnight. Ukrainian forces destroyed 211 of the drones and 38 missiles, it said, while 225 more drones were either lost due to electronic warfare or were decoys that carried no explosives.
CNA
11 hours ago
- Politics
- CNA
Ukraine F-16 pilot killed in large-scale Russian attack, Zelenskyy calls for US help
KYIV/LVIV: A Ukrainian F-16 fighter pilot died in a crash while repelling a Russian air attack that involved hundreds of drones, cruise and ballistic missiles, authorities said on Sunday (Jun 29), as Moscow intensifies night-time air barrages in the fourth year of war. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy praised the pilot, Maksym Ustymenko, and bestowed upon him posthumously the title of Hero of Ukraine, the country's highest decoration. He also called for more support from Washington and Western allies to bolster Ukraine's air defences after the attack, which damaged homes and infrastructure across the country and injured at least 12 people, according to local authorities. In Kyiv, families huddled in metro stations for shelter after air raid sirens rung out. Machine-gun fire and explosions were heard across the capital and in the western city of Lviv, where such attacks are less common. The governor of the Lviv region, bordering Poland, said the raid targeted critical infrastructure. Ukraine has now lost three F-16s since it began operating the US-made jets last year. Kyiv has not revealed the size of its F-16 fleet, but they have become a central and heavily used part of Ukraine's defences. The pilot flew the damaged jet away from a settlement but had no time to eject before it crashed, the Ukrainian Air Force said. "The pilot used all of his onboard weapons and shot down seven air targets. While shooting down the last one, his aircraft was damaged and began to lose altitude," the Air Force said on Telegram. Ukrainian military expert Roman Svitan, speaking earlier this month, said the F-16 was not ideally suited to all tasks in the war, particularly repelling drones which swarm Ukrainian cities, as it is better used against higher-speed targets. Zelenskyy, speaking in his nightly video address, said Ustymenko had been flying missions since the time of a campaign that began in 2014 against Russian-financed separatists who had seized parts of eastern Ukraine. "He mastered four types of aircraft and had important results to his name in defending Ukraine," he said. "It is painful to lose such people." The Ukrainian military said in total Russia launched 477 drones and 60 missiles of various types to Ukraine overnight. Ukrainian forces destroyed 211 of the drones and 38 missiles, it said, while 225 more drones were either lost due to electronic warfare or were decoys that carried no explosives. Writing earlier on X, Zelenskyy said: "Moscow will not stop as long as it has the capability to launch massive strikes." He said Russia had launched around 114 missiles, 1,270 drones, and 1,100 glide bombs just in the past week. Russia's state-run RIA Novosti news agency said one person was killed by a Ukrainian drone in the Russian-controlled part of Ukraine's Luhansk region. Both Ukraine and Russia say they do not attack civilian targets. POLITICAL WILL Ukraine says recent attacks highlight the need for further support from Washington, which under President Donald Trump has not committed to new military aid for Ukraine. Trump said he was considering a Ukrainian request for more Patriot missile batteries after he met Zelenskyy at a NATO summit last Wednesday. "This war must be brought to an end - pressure on the aggressor is needed, and so is protection," Zelenskyy said in his X post. "Ukraine needs to strengthen its air defence - the thing that best protects lives." He said Ukraine was ready to buy the American air defence systems and it counts on "leadership, political will, and the support of the United States, Europe, and all our partners." Russia has launched large-scale strikes on Ukrainian cities every few days in recent weeks, causing widespread damage, killing dozens of civilians and injuring hundreds more. During the latest barrage, explosions were heard in Kyiv, Lviv, Poltava, Mykolaiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Cherkasy and the Ivano-Frankivsk regions, witnesses and regional governors said. The Ukrainian military said air strikes were recorded in six locations. Eleven people, including two children, were injured in the central Cherkasy region, the regional governor said on Telegram. Three multi-storey buildings and a college were damaged. One woman was injured in western Ivano-Frankivsk region.
