Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called for urgent support from the United States and Western allies to help strengthen Ukraine’s air defences. In an emotional message following Russia’s deadly overnight attack, Zelensky said, “pressure on the aggressor is needed, and so is protection.” ‘Ukraine needs protection’: Volodymyr Zelenskyy after Russian barrage kills F-16 pilot, injures civilians(AP)

A Ukrainian F-16 fighter pilot was killed in what authorities described as Russia’s biggest aerial attack since the start of the war. The overnight assault, which took place on Saturday, involved 477 drones and 60 missiles and left at least 12 people injured, according to Ukrainian officials.

“The Russians were targeting everything that sustains life. A residential building in Smila was also hit, and a child was injured,” Ukranian President Zelensky wrote in a post on ‘X’.

He confirmed that an F-16 pilot, Maksym Ustymenko, died after shooting down seven air targets.

Ukraine has lost three F-16 jets since it began flying the US-made aircraft last year. Kyiv has not disclosed how many of these jets it currently operates, but they play a crucial role in its air defence efforts.

Zelensky urges US to send air defence systems

Ukraine says the latest wave of Russian strikes underscores the urgent need for more help from Washington. So far, US President Donald Trump has not approved any new military aid for Kyiv after assuming office.

However, after meeting Zelensky at a NATO summit last Wednesday, Trump said he is considering Ukraine’s request for additional Patriot missile systems.

“Putin long ago decided he would keep waging war, despite the world’s calls for peace. This war must be brought to an end – pressure on the aggressor is needed, and so is protection,” Zelensky said in his X post on Sunday after the attack. “Ukraine needs to strengthen its air defence – the thing that best protects lives.”

“These are American systems, which we are ready to buy. We count on leadership, political will, and the support of the United States, Europe, and all our partners. I thank everyone who is helping,” he said.

Zelensky added that more than 114 missiles, over 1,270 drones, and nearly 1,100 glide bombs had been launched at Ukraine in just the past week. “Moscow will not stop as long as it has the capability to launch massive strikes,” he warned.

Meanwhile, Russia’s state-run media reported that a Ukrainian drone strike killed one person in the Russian-occupied Luhansk region. Both sides deny targeting civilians.

Russia has stepped up large-scale attacks in recent weeks, striking Ukrainian cities every few days and causing heavy damage, civilian deaths, and widespread injuries.

A Ukrainian Air Force pilot flying an American-made F-16 jet was shot out of the sky overnight as he defended his nation from the largest Russian drone and missile barrage of the war so far.

Lt. Col. Maksym Ustimenko, 31, took off early Sunday after Russia fired a record 537 aerial weapons, including 477 drones and 60 missiles, Ukraine’s air force said.

Ustimenko was able to intercept seven targets before his F-16 Falcon was struck, leaving him with no time to eject, but just enough to aim the jet away from a residential area, officials said.

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4 First Class Pilot Lt. Col. Maksym Ustymenko died intercepting Russian drones and missiles early Sunday. @Mariana_Betsa/X

This is the third F-16 to be downed since Ukraine took delivery of the warplanes in February. One jet was shot down last month, and another in April 2024 when repelling major Russian airstrikes.

NATO members have pledged to provide more than 80 F-16s of to Ukraine, and they have been a key weapon to intercept Moscow’s ever-escalating bombardments.

“Maksym did everything he could to steer the aircraft away from a populated area,” the Ukrainian Air Force said in a statement.

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4 Ukraine scrambled its American-made F-16 fighter jets in response to Russia’s largest aerial attack of the war so far. Anadolu via Getty Images

“He died like a hero… Eternal flight, brother,” the military added.

“My condolences to his family and brothers-in-arms,” Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky said. “Ukrainian aviation is heroically protecting our skies. I am grateful to everyone who is defending Ukraine.”

With the help of its F-16 pilots, Ukraine’s air force was able to intercept 436 drones and 38 missiles, with the remaining projectiles and debris hitting eight locations across Ukraine.

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Yuriy Ihnat, head of communications for Ukraine’s air force, described the Russian assault as “the most massive air strike” the country has ever experienced.

The scope of the attack was so large that it even caused Poland and other allied countries near the western border to scramble their aircraft in response, according to the country’s Armed Forces Operational Command.

“[Poland] activated all available forces and resources at his disposal, the duty fighter pairs have been scrambled and the ground-based air defense and radar reconnaissance systems have reached the highest state of readiness,” the agency said.

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4 Moscow fired more than 500 missiles and drones overnight, striking at least eight Ukrainian regions. Ukrainian State Emergency Service/AFP via Getty Images

4 First responders arrive at a residential apartment building that was hit by a drone in Smila. via REUTERS

Near the border in Ukraine’s Lviv region, a drone strike caused a large-scale fire to break out at an industrial facility in Drohobych, which caused black outs across the city.

Oleksandr Prokudin, the governor of Ukraine’s Kherson region, said at least one person was killed by a drone strike.

Cherkasy regional Gov. Ihor Taburets said at least six people were wounded in his municipality, including a child.

Zelensky slammed the overnight assault, describing it as further escalation by Moscow’s invading force and proof that Russian President Vladimir Putin is not committed to peace.

“Moscow will not stop as long as it has the capability to launch massive strikes,” he said in a statement. “Just this week alone, there have been more than 114 missiles, over 1,270 drones, and nearly 1,100 glide bombs.

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“Putin long ago decided he would keep waging war, despite the world’s calls for peace. This war must be brought to an end — pressure on the aggressor is needed, and so is protection,” he added.

With Post wires

English News

International

Russia Shoots Down Ukraine’s F 16 Fighter Jet

Russia shoots down Ukraine’s F-16 fighter jet: Pilot killed; 7 Russian missiles destroyed, system failed while hitting next target

Kyiv / Moscow 42 minutes ago

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Ukraine has confirmed the death of its pilot. Russia had fired 60 missiles at Ukraine. File footage

Russia carried out its largest air strike on Ukraine on Sunday night, launching 477 drones and 60 missiles, including M/KN-23 ballistic missiles and cruise missiles. However, the Ukrainian Air Force successfully intercepted 475 of these threats.

Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense shared this information via a social media post. According to reports, one of the missiles downed a Ukrainian F-16 fighter jet during the attack, resulting in the death of the pilot.

See images of Russia’s attack on Ukraine…

Russia attacked Ukraine on June 29. Explosions were seen in the sky during this time.

Russian attacks have damaged homes and infrastructure.

Rescuers saving a child during the attack on Ukraine on Sunday.

Several residential buildings were destroyed in Russian attacks.

F-16 fighter jet destroyed in Russian air strikes

Russia launched its largest air strike on Ukraine on Sunday night, firing 477 drones and 60 missiles, including M/KN-23 ballistic missiles and cruise missiles. The Ukrainian Air Force intercepted 475 of these, but one missile hit an F-16 fighter jet. The pilot, Pavlo Ivanov, managed to shoot down six missiles before his aircraft encountered technical issues during the final interception. In a heroic act, he diverted the jet away from a populated area but was unable to eject in time and died in the crash. Russian attacks also damaged residential areas, injuring six people.

Ukraine targeted Russian base in Crimea

Earlier, on the morning of June 28, Ukraine launched a drone strike on the Russian-occupied Kirovske airbase in Crimea. According to The Kyiv Independent, the attack destroyed several Russian assets, including Mi-8, Mi-26, and Mi-28 helicopters, as well as a Pantsir-S1 air defense system. Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) stated that the strike targeted Russian aircraft, air defense systems, weapons, and drone storage. Russia has not officially confirmed the damage.

Putin expresses willingness for renewed peace talks

These developments followed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s June 27 statement that Moscow is ready to resume peace negotiations in Istanbul. However, despite his remarks, there are no signs of the war de-escalating. Two earlier rounds of peace talks between Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Istanbul failed to produce any breakthroughs.

Know why the Russia-Ukraine war started

February 2022- As soon as Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the attack, Russian tanks began rumbling into Ukraine. Then US President Joe Biden said – There is no plan to talk with Putin. He has put the whole world in danger. Russia will have to pay a serious price for attacking Ukraine.

February 2025- New US President Donald Trump spoke with Putin on phone for 90 minutes. After this, a high-level meeting was held between Russia and America regarding the Ukraine war in Saudi Arabia. Ukraine was not included in this. Trump praised Putin and called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy a ‘dictator’.

May 2025- Peace talks to end the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine intensified in 2025, especially after US President Donald Trump’s initiative. In recent days, there has been a prisoner exchange, but differences remain over territorial control and security guarantees.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged an immediate response from the United States and the West allies in assisting Ukraine to bolster its air defenses. Addressing Russia’s fatal overnight strike in a heartfelt message, Zelensky said, “Pressure on the aggressor is needed, and so is protection.” One of Ukraine’s F-16 fighter pilots was killed in what officials reported as Russia’s largest air strike since the beginning of the war.

The nighttime attack, which happened on Saturday, comprised 477 drones and 60 missiles and injured at least 12 individuals, Ukrainian officials said.

“The Russians were targeting everything that sustains life. A residential building in Smila was also hit, and a child was injured,” Ukrainian President Zelensky wrote in a post on ‘X’. He confirmed that an F-16 pilot, Maksym Ustymenko, died after shooting down seven air targets.

Ukraine has lost three F-16 aircraft since starting to fly the US-made planes last year. Kyiv has not said how many of these planes it has in its inventory currently, but they are a key part of its air defence capabilities. Ukraine asserts the recent Russian attack wave emphasises the necessity for additional assistance from Washington. Trump has not yet signed any additional military assistance into law for Kyiv since taking office.

But following a meeting with Zelensky last Wednesday at a NATO summit, Trump told reporters he is weighing Ukraine’s request for additional Patriot missile systems.

“Putin long ago decided he would keep waging war, despite the world’s calls for peace. This war must be brought to an end – pressure on the aggressor is needed, and so is protection,” Zelensky said in his X post on Sunday after the attack. “Ukraine needs to strengthen its air defence – the thing that best protects lives.” “These are American systems, which we are ready to buy. We count on leadership, political will, and the support of the United States, Europe, and all our partners. I thank everyone who is helping,” he said.

Zelensky went on to say that over 114 missiles, more than 1,270 drones, and close to 1,100 glide bombs had been fired at Ukraine alone in the last week. “Moscow will continue as long as it can carry out big strikes,” he warned.

Zelensky signs decree for Ukraine’s withdrawal from anti-landmine treaty

Meanwhile, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree on Sunday (June 29) placing his war-torn nation on the path out of the anti-landmine Ottawa Convention, per a document posted on his website. The agreement prohibits signatory nations from buying, manufacturing, storing or employing anti-personnel mines, which are meant to be buried or concealed in the ground.

They usually mutilate victims if they do not immediately kill them, and humanitarian groups decry the long-term threat of booby traps to civilians. Over 160 nations and territories have signed the Ottawa Convention, although neither Russia nor the United States have done so.

Russia has launched its biggest air attack on Ukraine since the war first began in 2022, with Vladimir Putin’s forces launching over 500 drones across several cities.

Photos and video footage shared by Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday (29 June) document the impact of the attacks across Kyiv, Cherkasy, Lviv, Poltava, Kharkiv, Kherson, and Mykolaiv.

The Ukrainian Air Force confirmed that one F-16 pilot was killed in the onslaught on Saturday (28 June).

Ukraine has said 475 out of 537 aerial targets were shot down.

Poland scrambled its Nato jets and activated its ground-based air defence in response to the six-hour assault.