The pilot “saved Ukrainians from deadly Russian missiles at the cost of his own life,” the Air Force said.
The Ukrainian Air Force Command reported on its Facebook page that on August 26, Alexey Mes “while repelling a massive Russian combined missile and air strike, destroyed three cruise missiles and a strike UAV.”
The military added that the pilot “saved Ukrainians from deadly Russian missiles… at the cost of his own life.”
The pilot’s funeral took place on Thursday, August 29. The cause of the crash has not been officially reported.
The General Staff added that “to determine the causes of the accident, a special commission of the Ministry of Defense was appointed, which worked at the place where the plane crashed.”
The mayor of Lutsk, Igor Polishchuk, was the first to announce Moonfish’s death. He wrote that 30-year-old Lieutenant Colonel Alexey Mes “died on August 26, 2023 while carrying out a combat mission to protect the territorial integrity and independence of Ukraine.”
Mes was posthumously awarded the military rank of colonel, the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported on August 29.
Source: korrespondent
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