On the night of June 29, 2025, Russian aggressors once again launched a massive missile and drone attack on Ukraine, using various types of missiles and strike drones. During this attack, Colonel Maxim Ustimenko, a first-class pilot, lost his life.
This was reported by the Air Forces of Ukraine.
Quote: "Unfortunately, we are facing another painful loss. This night, during the defense against a massive aerial assault by the enemy, Colonel Maxim Ustimenko, born in 1993, was killed in action on an F-16. The pilot utilized the full array of onboard weapons, successfully downing seven airborne targets."
While engaging the last target, his aircraft sustained damage and began to lose altitude. Maxim Ustimenko did everything possible to divert the aircraft away from populated areas, but he did not manage to eject in time.
Details: According to military reports, Russia launched over 500 aerial targets that night.
The F-16 aircraft successfully destroyed dozens of attacking "Shahed" drones.
