On the night of June 29, 2025, Ukrainian Air Force Lieutenant Colonel and first-class pilot Maksym Ustymenko was killed during a Russian missile and drone attack.

Axar.az reports that the Ukrainian Air Force released the statement.

“Unfortunately, today we faced another painful loss. During the night, while repelling a massive enemy air attack, first-class F-16 fighter pilot, Lieutenant Colonel Maksym Ustymenko, born in 1993, was killed. The pilot used all onboard weapons and successfully destroyed seven aerial targets. However, during the interception, his aircraft sustained damage and began to lose altitude,” the statement read.

It was noted that the pilot did not have time to eject.

It’s worth mentioning that several of Ukraine’s F-16 fighter jets have been shot down to date.