Ukrainian F-16 Pilot Killed Defending Against Largest Russian Attack

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A Ukrainian Air Force pilot flying an American-made F-16 jet was shot down on Sunday night as he defended his country against the largest barrage of Russian missiles and drones since the 2022 invasion.

Lieutenant Colonel Maksym Ustimenko, 31, took off on Sunday morning after Russia launched a record 537 air weapons, including 477 drones and 60 missiles, according to the Ukrainian Air Force as reported by The New York Post.

Ustimenko managed to intercept seven targets before his F-16 Falcon was hit, leaving him no time to eject. However, he did manage to direct his jet away from residential areas, officials said.

"My condolences to his family and fellow soldiers," said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. "The Ukrainian Air Force heroically protects our skies. I am grateful to everyone defending Ukraine."

This is the third F-16 jet shot down since Ukraine received the fighter jets in February. One was shot down last month, and another in April 2024 while fending off a massive Russian air assault.

NATO members have pledged to provide over 80 F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine, and they have become the primary weapons to intercept the escalating bombings of Moscow.

"Maksym did everything he could to steer the aircraft away from populated areas," said the Ukrainian Air Force in a statement.

"He died like a hero... Eternal flight, my brother," added the military.

With the help of F-16 pilots, the Ukrainian Air Force has successfully intercepted 436 drones and 38 missiles, while the remaining projectiles and debris hit eight locations across Ukraine.

Yuriy Ihnat, head of the Ukrainian Air Force communications, described the Russian attack as the "most massive air assault" the country has ever faced.

The scale of the attack was so extensive that it prompted Poland and other allied countries near the western border to deploy their aircraft in response, according to the country's Armed Forces Operational Command.

"[Poland] has activated all available forces and resources, and fighter aircraft pairs on duty have been deployed, with ground-based air defense systems and radar surveillance reaching the highest level of readiness," the body said.

Near the border in the Lviv region of Ukraine, drone attacks caused a large fire at an industrial facility in Drohobych, resulting in a blackout across the city.

Oleksandr Prokudin, governor of the Kherson region of Ukraine, said at least one person was killed in the drone strike.

Ihor Taburets, governor of the Cherkasy region, said at least six people were injured in his area, including a child.

Zelensky condemned Sunday night's attack, calling it a further escalation by Moscow's attacking forces and proof that Russian President Vladimir Putin is not committed to peace.

"Moscow will not stop as long as it has the capability to launch massive attacks," he said in a statement. "Just this week, there have been over 114 missiles, over 1,270 drones, and nearly 1,100 bomb drops.

"Putin has long since decided to continue the war, even as the world calls for peace. This war must end-pressure on the aggressor is necessary, as is protection," he added.

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