Aug 27, 2023 at 8:16 AM Update: 5 minutes ago
Three pilots were killed in a crash involving two fighter jets in Ukraine earlier this week. One of the victims is the well-known jet fighter pilot JUICE, says the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense.
Two L-39 fighter jets collided west of Kyiv on Friday. One of the three victims was Major Andrii Pilshchykov, who was known as JUICE. The ministry speaks up X (formerly Twitter) of “a tragic loss”.
As one of the ‘Spirits of Kyiv’, Pilshchykov was praised for defending the skies early in the war. Ukrainian Air Force spokesman Yuriy Ihnat called the pilot a “mega talent”. According to Ihnat, he also spearheaded the effort to free F-16s from the West.
“You can’t imagine how much he wanted to fly an F-16,” Ihnat wrote in a Facebook post. “But now that there are actually American planes on the horizon, he won’t fly it anymore.”
Investigation launched into the accident
The Ukrainian president also reflects on the death. “My heart goes out to the pilots’ friends and loved ones,” Volodymyr Zelensky said in a statement video on X. “The investigation into the accident is still ongoing and the truth will come to light. Ukraine will never forget those who defended its free air.”
To defend that airspace, Zelensky has been busy for months with official requests and consultation rounds with Western countries to get F-16s. The Netherlands and Denmark announced last week that they wanted to supply several fighter jets. Later Norway also joined.
But to get the F-16s, Ukrainian pilots must first complete their training. The American army is now helping the Netherlands and Denmark with this. Starting next month, Ukrainian fighter jet pilots in the US will receive English lessons, after which they will learn how to fly F-16s.
0:34 Play button
Image: Ukraine Air Force
Read more about:
Ukraine War in Ukraine
2023-08-27 06:16:00
#Megatalent #JUICE #Ukrainian #pilots #killed #collision
