Ukrainian fighter jet pilot reportedly killed in action in Donetsk Oblast

Major Andrii Tkachenko, a fighter aircraft pilot, was killed in a combat mission in Donetsk Oblast on March 8, scouting organization Plast reported on March 10.

Plast's branch in the town of Sambir, Lviv Oblast, mentioned his death in a Facebook post. Tkachenko was a member of Plast.

No other details about Tkachenko's death were provided.

Ukraine's Air Force hasn't commented on Tkachenko's death.

A month earlier, Vladislav Rykov, an experienced Ukrainian Air Force pilot, was also killed in action, the 299th Tactical Aviation Brigade reported on social media.

Rykov “had 385 sorties under his belt — he was the best pilot and commander I knew,” fellow Air Force pilot Rostyslav Lazarenko posted on Facebook. “My heart was ripped out yesterday.”

In another incident from last August, three Ukrainian pilots, including Andrii Pilshchykov with the call sign “Juice,” died in a mid-air collision between two training jets.