Three Ukrainian pilots have died after two L-39 trainer aircraft collided in mid-air in central Ukraine, the country's air force said in a statement on Saturday.
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who is counting on swift training of Ukrainian crews to fly up to 61 F-16 fighter jets promised by his Western allies, said the three men included Andriy Pilshchykov, "a Ukrainian officer, one of those who greatly helped our state."
The investigation is ongoing, he added in his nightly video address. "It is too early to discuss details. Certainly, all circumstances will be clarified."
The air force said the crash occurred in Zhytomyr region in central Ukraine. Pilshchykov, who used the callsign "Juice," had become well known after giving numerous interviews to international media, it said.
A tragic loss. On August 25th, two L-39 military jets collided over the Zhytomyr region. Three pilots of the Ukrainian Air Force lost their lives. One of them was Major Andrii Pilshchykov, a 2nd Class pilot and a recipient of the Order of Courage, 3rd Class, known by the callsign… pic.twitter.com/Oa8cHUX1D8
— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) August 26, 2023
"We express our condolences to the families of the victims. This is a painful and irreparable loss for all of us," the air force wrote on the Telegram app.
Zelenskiy offered condolences to the pilots' families and added, "Ukraine will never forget anyone who defended the free skies of Ukraine."
This is a developing story.