News Feed

Three pilots who died in mid-air collision identified by name

2 min read
Three pilots who died in mid-air collision identified by name
Ukrainian pilots killed in a mid-air collision over Zhytomyr Oblast on Aug. 25, 2023, from left: Major Viacheslav Minka, Major Serhii Prokazin, and Captain Andrii Pilshchykov, also known as "Juice." (Photos: Vasylkiv Tactical Aviation Brigade/Facebook)

The names of all three pilots killed in a mid-air collision over Zhytomyr Oblast were released by the Vasylkiv Tactical Aviation Brigade on Aug. 27.

They were Captain Andrii Pilshchykov, also known as "Juice," Major Viacheslav Minka, and Major Serhii Prokazin.

The Aug. 25 crash involved two L-39 training jets.

Juice, of the 40th Tactical Aviation Brigade, was the best-known aviator of the three. He had over 500 flight hours and numerous difficult assignments under his belt. He has been decorated multiple times.

He was active online, having over 14,000 followers on Twitter. He used his high profile to persuade Western allies to send F-16 fighters to Ukraine.

Minka was a Kyiv Oblast resident, who returned to aviation in 2015, as a result of Russia's invasion. He had over 200 flight hours and conducted a great deal of training.    

Prokazin, who lived in Poltava Oblast, had over 100 operational flight hours. According to the brigade, he will be remembered for his smile and the ability to help with difficult situations.

The State Bureau of Investigations said that it has started a probe into the accident.

The bureau will investigate "the technical condition of the aircraft, compliance with the rules of preparation for flights," and the black boxes of the jets.

This Week in Ukraine Ep. 22 – F-16s and the irrational politics of military aid
Episode #22 of our weekly video podcast “This Week in Ukraine” is dedicated to F-16 fighter jets and the irrational politics behind Western military aid to Ukraine. Host Anastasiia Lapatina is joined by the Kyiv Independent’s reporter Oleg Sukhov. Listen to the audio version of the podcast on Appl…
Article image
Avatar
The Kyiv Independent news desk

We are the news team of the Kyiv Independent. We are here to make sure our readers get quick, essential updates about the events in Ukraine. Feel free to contact us via email with feedback and news alerts.

Read more
News Feed

U.S. President Donald Trump's remarks come after the Financial Times (FT) reported, citing undisclosed sources, that he asked President Volodymyr Zelensky whether Kyiv could strike Moscow or St Petersburg if provided with long-range U.S. weapons.

"The stolen data includes confidential questionnaires of the company's employees, and most importantly, full technical documentation on the production of drones, which was handed over to the relevant specialists of the Ukrainian Defense Forces," a source in Ukraine's military intelligence told the Kyiv Independent.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban called upon the EU to take action against Ukraine's conscription practices in an interview with Origo published on July 15, amid an ongoing dispute with Kyiv over the death of a Ukrainian conscript of Hungarian ethnicity.

Show More