KYIV: Ukraine said on Saturday that three of its air force pilots including a renowned fighter jet pilot with the call-sign “Juice” were killed in a mid-air collision.

The crash marks a major upset for Kyiv, which has been looking to secure advanced F-16 jets to strengthen its Soviet-era air force and push ahead with its counteroffensive.

“We express our condolences to the families of the victims. This is a painful and irreparable loss for all of us,” Ukraine’s air force said, calling the crash “terrible”.

The crash took place in Ukraine’s northern Zhytom­yr region and involved two L-39 combat training aircraft, it said, adding an investigation was underway.

Air force spokesperson Yuriy Ignat said one of the pilots killed — Andrii Pilshchykov — who went by the call-sign “Juice”, was a young officer with “mega knowledge and mega talent”.

“Major Andrii Pilshchykov devoted his short but very bright life to combat aviation, he dreamed of F-16s in the Ukrainian sky,” he said in a tribute shared on social media. “You were more than a friend. Rest in peace, you have done so much for us,” he added.The loss of three pilots will be a blow to Ukraine. “We express our condolences to the families of the victims. This is a painful and irreparable loss for all of us,” the air force wrote on the Telegram app, adding that an investigation into the circumstances of the crash was taking place.

Published in Dawn, August 27th, 2023