Ukraine F-16 pilot killed repelling massive Russian air attack

Maksym Ustimenko’s craft changeable down 7 aerial targets earlier losing altitude and crashing, the aerial unit says.

Ukraine has mislaid an F-16 craft and its aviator portion repelling a Russian rocket and drone strike, according to the war-torn country’s aerial force.

After shooting down 7 aerial targets, the level was damaged and mislaid altitude overnight, the Ukrainian subject said successful a connection published connected Telegram connected Sunday.

“This night, portion repelling a monolithic force aerial attack, a aviator of the 1st class, Lieutenant Colonel Maksym Ustimenko, calved successful 1993, died connected an F-16 aircraft,” it said.

In a abstracted statement, the aerial unit said Russia launched 537 projectiles against Ukraine, including Shahed drones, cruise and ballistic missiles. Ukraine claimed to person intercepted 475 of them.

According to the Kyiv Independent newspaper, the dependable of explosions and strikes was reported successful aggregate areas crossed the country, including successful confederate Mykolaiv, southeastern Zaporizhia and occidental Lviv.

Residents basal successful beforehand of their flat gathering damaged during Russian drone and rocket strikes successful Smila, Cherkasy portion [Handout/Press work of Ukrainian constabulary successful Cherkasy via Reuters]

Ihor Taburets, the politician of cardinal Ukraine’s Cherkasy region, said astatine slightest six radical were injured and civilian infrastructure was damaged successful attacks. Three multistorey buildings and a assemblage were damaged successful the attack, helium said.

Industrial facilities were deed successful the confederate Ukrainian portion of Mykolaiv and the cardinal Dnipropetrovsk region, officials say. Local authorities published photos of high-rise residential buildings with charred walls and breached windows, and rescuers evacuating people.

In Russia, the Ministry of Defence said its forces destroyed 3 Ukrainian drones successful the borderline regions of Kursk and Rostov, and successful Ukraine’s annexed Crimean Peninsula.

The latest question of unit comes aft Russian President Vladimir Putin said connected Friday he intended to standard back subject expenditure and besides indicated helium was acceptable for a caller circular of bid negotiations with Ukraine.

In the past months, Moscow and Kyiv person sent delegations doubly to the Turkish metropolis of Istanbul for bid talks, but person made nary advancement towards ending the conflict, which started aft Russia invaded its neighbour much than 3 years ago.

However, some sides agreed upon and showed practice connected prisoners’ swap.

Source:

Al Jazeera and quality agencies