A Ukrainian F-16 pilot was killed overnight while defending the country from one of the largest Russian air attacks to date, officials said Sunday.

Lieutenant Colonel Maksym Ustymenko, 31, died after his fighter jet was damaged during an operation to intercept Russian missiles and drones, Ukraine’s Air Force reported.

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During the defense operation, Ustymenko, a first-class pilot, destroyed seven enemy air targets aboard his F-16 before his aircraft sustained critical damage. He managed to steer his jet away from populated areas but was unable to eject in time.

“He died like a hero,” Ukraine’s Air Force said in a statement, offering condolences to his family.

The overnight attack on June 29 was a combined strike involving 537 air targets – cruise, ballistic, and hypersonic missiles, as well as Shahed-type drones, according to Ukraine’s Air Force and monitoring groups.

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The assault included:

477 Shahed-type attack drones and decoy UAVs, launched from Russian territory and occupied Crimea;

4 Kh-47M2 Kinzhal hypersonic missiles from Russia’s Tambov region;

7 Iskander-M/KN-23 ballistic missiles from Voronezh region and Crimea;

41 Kh-101 and Iskander-K cruise missiles from Saratov, Kursk, and Bryansk regions;

5 Kalibr cruise missiles from the Black Sea;

3 S-300 guided missiles from Russia’s Kursk region.

Ukrainian air defenses, including fighter aircraft, anti-aircraft missile units, electronic warfare systems, and mobile fire groups, were activated across the country. As of 8:30 a.m., Ukrainian forces had destroyed or neutralized 475 enemy targets, including:

211 Shahed drones shot down, with an additional 225 drones suppressed by electronic warfare;

1 Iskander ballistic missile shot down;

33 Kh-101/Iskander-K cruise missiles shot down, one neutralized by electronic systems;

4 Kalibr cruise missiles shot down.

Debris from downed targets was recorded in at least eight locations, while six regions reported active air attacks.

The missile attack lasted nearly three hours, while the drone assault continued for almost 10 hours.

Other Topics of Interest 4-Stage Process to Stop Russo-Ukrainian War A long-term peace between Russia and Ukraine necessitates private negotiations, comprehensive European security talks, active directives from the US, and ongoing military support for Ukraine.

Multiple regions were targeted, including Kremenchuk, Poltava, Dnipro, Mykolaiv, Zaporizhzhia, Cherkasy, Lviv, and the capital, Kyiv.

Dozens of explosions were reported in Kremenchuk alone, where both missiles and drones struck. An industrial facility in the Poltava region caught fire as a result, officials said.

In Zaporizhzhia, a production site was damaged, though no casualties were reported. Three people were injured in Cherkasy after missiles hit civilian infrastructure, according to regional authorities.

In Lviv, officials said critical infrastructure was targeted, but no civilian injuries or major damage to residential areas occurred. Explosions were also heard in Kyiv, where air defense systems were active, though further details were not immediately provided.

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Ustymenko is the third Ukrainian F-16 pilot to die in combat since Ukraine introduced the Western fighter jets into its arsenal last year.

The first fatality occurred on August 26, 2024, when Lt. Col. Oleksii “Moonfish” Mes died after his F-16 crashed while intercepting a Russian missile and drone attack. Another pilot, Pavlo Ivanov, was killed during a combat mission in April 2025.

Ukrainian pilots continue to carry out dangerous missions under constant risk as Russia’s full-scale invasion, now in its third year, shows no sign of ending.

A Ukrainian fighter pilot was killed and an F-16 fighter jet destroyed as Russia launched its most massive aerial assault on Ukraine since the war began, Ukraine’s military confirmed on Sunday.

In the overnight attack, Russian forces launched over 500 drones and missiles, targeting western, southern, and central parts of the country. Explosions were reported in Lviv, Poltava, Mykolaiv, Dnipropetrovsk, and Cherkasy, with infrastructure and homes damaged and at least six civilians injured.

“This was the most massive air strike,” said Yuriy Ihnat, spokesperson for Ukraine’s air force. “It involved a wide range of aerial weapons and hit regions far from the frontlines.”

The Ukrainian Air Force stated that out of 477 drones and 60 missiles, 249 were shot down and 226 neutralized using electronic jamming.

The fallen pilot, whose name has not been released, was credited with shooting down seven enemy targets during the strike. Tragically, his F-16 sustained critical damage during the final interception. Though he managed to steer the jet away from populated areas, he could not eject in time and died in the crash.

This marks the third F-16 loss for Ukraine since acquiring the advanced jets from the Netherlands and Denmark in 2024. The jet involved in this incident was reportedly one of the last two delivered just a month earlier.

Ukrainian officials have hailed the pilot as a hero, emphasizing the sacrifices made to protect civilian lives in the face of relentless aggression.

Russia is expanding a major aircraft factory in Kazan, where strategic bombers are built and modernized. The images, provided by Planet Labs, show that new production buildings appeared at the Kazan Aircraft Plant last winter.

The largest structure is around 320 meters long, covering roughly 19,000 square meters – the size of three football fields, Finnish broadcaster Yle reported Friday.

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The Kazan factory produces and upgrades Tu-22M3 and Tu-160M bombers and also manufactures new Tu-160M2 aircraft. Despite the expansion, Yle reports production remains slow, with only two Tu-160M2 and two Tu-160M aircraft completed this year.

According to Yle, Kazan is Russia’s only plant capable of replacing strategic bombers damaged or destroyed by Ukraine’s recent drone strikes, known as Operation Spiderweb.

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The image of three areas of the Kazan Aircraft Plant airfield. Image: Juha Rissanen / Yle, Maija Keskisaari / Yle, source: Planet Labs PBC

On June 1, Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) launched drone attacks on air bases in four Russian regions – Olenya, Belaya, Ivanovo-Severny and Diaghilev. Western intelligence estimates the strikes damaged 40 Russian aircraft, with 10 to 13 destroyed.

Other Topics of Interest 4-Stage Process to Stop Russo-Ukrainian War A long-term peace between Russia and Ukraine necessitates private negotiations, comprehensive European security talks, active directives from the US, and ongoing military support for Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed 41 planes were hit, half beyond repair. Russia’s Foreign Ministry acknowledged damage but denied any aircraft were destroyed.

The Kazan plant also produces Tu-204 passenger jets and is expected to supply new Tu-214 aircraft. Only one Tu-214 is nearly finished, according to Yle, and it reportedly uses the last batch of Western-made parts.

At the main parking area, among other aircraft, the Tu-214LMK — a “flying laboratory” recognizable by the long radar on its nose — can be seen. The Tu-214R is the reconnaissance version of this aircraft. Image: Juha Rissanen / Yle, source: Planet Labs PBC

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Tu-214 aircraft are used by Russia’s Defense Ministry, the FSB security service, and the Rossiya special flight unit, which transports government officials.

Western sanctions have banned aircraft parts exports to Russia since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. However, Yle previously reported that Moscow has created a shadow network to smuggle aircraft components worth about 1 billion euros through intermediaries in third countries.

During the repulsion of last night’s massive Russian missile and drone attack, a Ukrainian F-16 aircraft was damaged, and First Class pilot Lieutenant Colonel Maksym Ustymenko was killed.

The Air Force Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported this on Facebook.

“On the night of June 29, 2025, Russian forces once again launched a massive missile and drone strike on Ukraine, using various types of missiles and strike UAVs — over 500 aerial targets in total,” the statement reads.

It is noted that all available Defense Forces assets capable of countering aerial threats were involved in repelling the attack. Once again, the Air Force aviation — including F-16 aircraft — performed effectively, with pilots destroying dozens of Shahed-type drones.

“The work of Ukrainian fighter pilots is extremely dangerous and risky, both during strikes on enemy ground targets and in repelling air attacks. Nevertheless, our pilots heroically carry out combat missions and achieve maximum results,” the Air Force emphasized.

Tragically, during this night’s defense against the air attack, First Class pilot Lieutenant Colonel Maksym Ustymenko, born in 1993, was killed while flying an F-16.

A fire in a multi-storey residential building following a Russian drones attack in Odesa

A policeman inspects debris at the bottom of a multi-storey residential building, which was damaged

Ukraine has claimed a staggering victory, asserting that it intercepted 475 out of 537 aerial threats, many thanks to the valiant efforts of its air force pilots. The offensive included Tu-95 strategic bombers and MiG combat planes from Russia. In a separate incident, Russian drones targeted the southern port city of Odesa, resulting in two fatalities and at least 17 injuries. One drone crashed into a residential building in Odesa, wreaking havoc across three floors and leaving residents trapped, as reported by emergency services. The casualties were a couple, with regional Gov. Oleh Kiper revealing that the attack also injured three children. Amid the severity of the Russian bombardment on Ukraine, Poland’s operational command disclosed that NATO aircraft were scrambled to respond. A statement revealed that in response to Russian strikes on Ukrainian targets, Polish and allied aircraft are now patrolling their airspace: “Due to the attack by the Russian Federation carrying out strikes on objects located in the territory of Ukraine, Polish and allied aviation has begun operating in our airspace.”

NATO scrambled its warplanes

The country’s military readiness escalated as well: “The Operational Commander of the [armed forces] has activated all available forces and resources at his disposal.” Air defense systems were put on full alert: “The on-duty fighter pairs have been scrambled, and the ground-based air defence and radar reconnaissance systems have reached the highest state of readiness.” These measures are to ensure safety near potential conflict zones: “The steps taken are aimed at ensuring security in the areas bordering the threatened areas.”

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This action follows significant damage inflicted by Ukraine on Russia’s air force, with a devastating strike on the Marinovka airfield in Volgograd Oblast claiming two destroyed and two damaged supersonic fighter-bombers. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian city of Kremenchuk witnessed a catastrophic strike that left a former oil refinery burning, a scene described apocalyptically. The city faced an unparalleled assault by an array of Russian weaponry including cruise missiles, Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, and Iranian-made Shahed drones. This marked the most intense attack on Kremenchuk since the war commenced. Such attacks were widespread throughout Ukraine, resulting in one of the most severe barrages of the three-year conflict. Another missile strike set an industrial facility ablaze in Zaporizhzhia. “A production facility of one of the enterprises was damaged,” reported Ivan Fedorov, head of the regional military administration.