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A Ukrainian F-16 pilot, Lieutenant Colonel Maksym Ustymenko, was killed early Sunday while defending against Russia’s largest air assault since the war began, according to Reuters.Ukraine honors martyred pilotUstymenko shot down seven drones and missiles before his jet was damaged. He steered the crashing plane away from residential areas but had no time to eject. The attack involved 537 Russian drones and missiles, the highest single-night barrage in over three years of war. Ukraine intercepted 211 drones and 38 missiles, but 226 others were lost to electronic jamming or decoys.The strikes injured at least 12 civilians, including children, and damaged homes, schools, and industrial sites across six regions. In central Cherkasy, missiles hit apartment blocks and a college, forcing evacuations. Lviv suffered power outages after drones struck an industrial facility. President Zelenskyy posthumously awarded Ustymenko Ukraine’s highest honor, calling him a hero who mastered four aircraft types and defended Ukraine since 2014.The attack highlighted Kyiv’s urgent need for advanced air defenses: Russia launched 1,270 drones, 114 missiles, and 1,100 glide bombs this week alone.Zelenskyy urgently appealed to the U.S. and allies for Patriot missile systems, warning: “Moscow will not stop as long as it can launch massive strikes.” He emphasized Ukraine is ready to buy American defenses but needs political support from Washington, where President Trump has hesitated on new aid.Meanwhile, Russia claimed it took control of Novoukrainka village in Donetsk and downed Ukrainian drones in border regions. As Kyiv mourns its third F-16 loss since August 2024, experts note the jets are less effective against cheap drone swarms than high-speed targets.
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