ISLAMABAD (PEN) : Ukraine mourns the loss of celebrated F-16 pilot Maksym Ustymenko, who was killed during a large-scale overnight Russian air raid that targeted multiple regions across the country. The incident has reignited President Volodymyr Zelensky’s call for enhanced Western military aid, particularly advanced air defense systems.
Pilot’s Final Mission Amid Heavy Drone and Missile Assault
Ustymenko successfully shot down seven enemy aerial targets during the barrage involving hundreds of Russian drones and missiles. However, his fighter jet sustained critical damage in the final engagement and crashed before he could eject. The Ukrainian Air Force confirmed that he deliberately diverted the crippled aircraft away from civilian areas.
President Zelensky honoured Ustymenko posthumously with the Hero of Ukraine title, describing him as a pilot who “mastered four types of aircraft and had important results to his name in defending Ukraine.” Zelensky added, “It is painful to lose such people.”
Widespread Damage and Casualties Across Ukraine
Russian forces launched an estimated 477 drones and 60 missiles in the raid. Ukraine’s air defenses intercepted 211 drones and 38 missiles, while electronic warfare systems neutralized an additional 225 drones or identified them as decoys.
The assault caused power outages and structural damage to infrastructure and residential buildings, resulting in at least 12 injuries nationwide, including two children in the Cherkasy region. There, three residential buildings and a college were among the damaged sites.
Kyiv residents spent the night seeking shelter in metro stations as air raid sirens blared. Explosions and gunfire were reported in the capital and in Lviv, a western city near the Polish border previously less affected by attacks.
Strategic facilities in Lviv, along with Poltava, Mykolaiv, Dnipropetrovsk, and Ivano-Frankivsk, were also targeted, officials confirmed.
Rising Pressure for Enhanced Air Defense Systems
The attack is part of an escalating Russian aerial campaign that, according to Ukrainian sources, involved more than 1,100 glide bombs, 1,270 drones, and 114 missiles over the past week. Moscow increasingly relies on night raids to stretch Ukraine’s already taxed air defenses.
Ukraine began operating U.S.-supplied F-16 jets last year. Ustymenko’s death marks the third confirmed loss of an F-16. While the exact number of jets in Ukraine’s fleet remains undisclosed, these aircraft play a vital role in the country’s air defense, despite concerns about their effectiveness against low-flying drone swarms.
Defense analyst Roman Svitan noted, “The F-16s are better suited for targeting high-speed threats and are less efficient in countering the kinds of drone swarms deployed by Russia in recent months.”
In his address, Zelensky reiterated, “This war must be brought to an end—pressure on the aggressor is needed, and so is protection. Ukraine needs to strengthen its air defence—the thing that best protects lives.” He confirmed Ukraine’s intent to acquire more U.S.-made Patriot missile systems and urged the U.S. and European allies to demonstrate “leadership and political will” by expediting aid.
Although the U.S. administration has not announced new aid packages, former President Donald Trump, following talks with Zelensky at the NATO summit, said he was reviewing Ukraine’s request for additional Patriot systems.
Zelensky later stressed on X (formerly Twitter), “Moscow will not stop as long as it can launch massive strikes. Leadership and support from the United States and Europe is critical.”
Ongoing Conflict and Civilian Impact
In Russian-held Luhansk, state media RIA Novosti reported one civilian death from a Ukrainian drone strike. Both sides deny targeting civilians.
As the war extends into its fourth year with no resolution, Ukrainian officials warn that the recent escalation highlights the critical need for stronger defenses to prevent further casualties and infrastructure destruction.
Rescue teams continue evacuations, including in Cherkasy, where damaged buildings bear scars of the recent bombardment.
