Maksym UstyMenko is the third Ukrainian pilot of F-16 to die in combat since the country received the Western fighters
Ukraine has lived one of the most black nights since the beginning of the Russian invasion. A massive air strike with 537 enemy targets shook the country, leaving a trail of destruction in various regions. In the midst of chaos, a story of courage marked the dawn: Lieutenant Colonel Maksym Ustymenko, F-16 pilot, lost his life after slaughtering seven Russian targets that went to residential areas and avoiding a greater tragedy.
The 31-year-old pilot died to his F-16 commands during one of Moscow’s greatest aerial offensives. He slaughtered drones and missiles, deflected the aircraft from populated areas, but failed to eject in time.
“He died as a hero,” said the Ukrainian Air Force, in a statement released on social networks, where he paid tribute to his bravery and addressed condolences to his family.
Last night, during a massive enemy air attack, First Class Pilot Lieutenant Colonel Maksym Ustymenko, born in 1993, was killed in action flying an F-16.
Maksym did everything he could to steer the aircraft away from a populated area. He didn’t have time to eject…
Our deepest…
— Ukrainian Air Force (@KpsZSU)
He is the third Ukrainian pilot of F-16 killed in combat since Kiev received the Western fighters last year.
Terror night began with the launch of 477 Shahed drones, hypersonic, ballistic and cruise missiles from Russian and occupied crime territory:
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4 hypersonic missiles Kinzhal;
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7 Iskander ballistic missiles;
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41 Cruise missiles KH-101 and ISKANDER-K;
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5 Kalibr missiles from the Black Sea;
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3 guided missiles S-300.
The Ukrainian air defenses responded in strength. According to official data, 475 targets were destroyed or neutralized, including:
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211 drones Shahed abatidos;
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225 Drones neutralized by Electronic War;
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33 slaughtered cruise missiles;
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1 destroyed Iskander Ballistic missile;
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4 Missiles Kalibr slaughtered.
Still, the damage was considerable. Explosions and wreckage reached at least eight regions, including:
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Kremenchuk, stage of dozens of explosions, with drones and missiles to reach the ground;
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Pointed, where an industrial installation was on fire;
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Zaporizehzia, with damages in production places;
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Cherkasy, where three civilians were injured;
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LVIV and KIEV, where critical infrastructures were aimed, without confirmed civil victims.
The attack, which combined advanced war technology, lasted almost 10 hours, leaving the country on the maximum alert.
UstyMenko joins the list of Ukrainian pilots who paid the maximum price for the country’s defense. The first, Oleksii “Moonfish” Mes, died in August 2024 while trying to intercet missiles and Russian drones. In April this year, Pavlo Ivanov dejected on a combat mission.
