Famous Ukrainian pilot killed during training

Ukraine announced that famous pilot "Juice" and two teammates were killed when two L-39 training planes collided in the air in Zhytomyr.

"Yesterday, a tragedy occurred in the sky of Zhytomyr, killing three pilots. One of them was Andriy Pilshchykov, nicknamed Juice. He was an air force officer who made a great contribution to defending the country," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced in a speech on the night of August 26.

Mr Zelensky said it was too early to comment on the cause of the crash and that all details would be clarified. "Ukraine will never forget those who defended the sky. They will always be in our hearts," he said.

The Ukrainian Air Force said the accident occurred on August 25 near the city of Zhytomyr, about 140 km west of Kiev, when two L-39 training aircraft collided in the air.

The scene of the plane crash in Zhytomyr, Ukraine, August 25. Photo: RFERL — The scene of the plane crash in Zhytomyr, Ukraine, August 25. Photo: *RFERL*

Pilshchykov, about 30 years old, is a famous Ukrainian pilot, flying MiG-29 fighters in the "Kiev Ghost" squadron that has protected central and northern Ukraine since the outbreak of hostilities on February 24, 2022. He is considered by the Ukrainian Air Force as "a great talent" and is about to be sent to learn to fly F-16 fighters.

"Juice" has appeared in the media many times, talking about the difficulties that the Ukrainian air force encountered when facing Russia's superiority in the sky.

The State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) of Ukraine is examining the black box to determine the cause of the crash. In a statement on July 26, the agency said it would pay special attention to the technical condition of the aircraft and the level of compliance with flight regulations.

Ukrainian media shared images of charred L-39s being removed from the scene. An anonymous witness heard an explosion in the air, then the two planes fell and exploded. A woman said the two planes were flying very close.

L-39 aircraft performs a flight demonstration in Athens, Greece, October 15, 2011. Photo: Almayadeen — L-39 aircraft performs a flight demonstration in Athens, Greece, October 15, 2011. Photo: *Almayadeen*

Military analyst and former pilot Roman Svitan said the crash was most likely related to a mistake in formation coordination. The standard distance between two planes is 50-70 meters, but Mr. Svitan said the two L-39s sometimes flew about 3-4 meters apart.

The L-39 is a jet fighter trainer aircraft developed by Czechoslovakian Aero Vodochody in the 1960s.

In addition to its training role, the L-39 can perform combat missions, carrying 1.2 tons of weapons on four hardpoints, including K13 air-to-air missiles, machine guns, bombs and rockets. But when flying in formation, especially at low altitudes, the pilot "doesn't have time to eject an emergency parachute," Mr. Svitan said.

Duc Trung (According to CNN, Reuters )

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