A serious tragedy has occurred in the history of the Ukrainian Air Force. This was reported by Zamin.uz.
On August 23, during a military mission led by Major Sergey Bondar, a MiG-29 fighter jet crashed while attempting to land. The pilot died, and this event caused deep sorrow among the country's military personnel and civilians.
The official Telegram channel of the Ukrainian Air Force provided information about this. According to the reports, drone strikes were carried out again by Russia on Ukrainian territory that night.
An air raid siren was also recorded in Kyiv. A total of 49 unmanned aerial vehicle attacks were launched across the country.
Out of these, the Ukrainian Air Force successfully repelled 36. Additionally, fighter pilots are actively participating in neutralizing air attacks.
So far, it has not been determined whether Sergey Bondar's death is related to a Russian strike or not. An investigation is underway to establish the causes of the incident, and no additional information has been provided yet.
This event was a significant and heavy blow to the Ukrainian Air Force. Since the war against Russia began, several Ukrainian pilots have died while operating MiG-29 or F-16 aircraft within three and a half years.
For example, on August 29, 2024, Ukraine lost its first F-16 fighter pilot during the process of repelling a mass missile attack. At that time, 30-year-old pilot Aleksey Mes was killed.
Member of the Verkhovna Rada Maryana Bezuglaya reported that the incident was caused by being shot down by the Patriot system, and Ukrainian military personnel were accused of covering up the incident. According to experts, this event is considered an important signal for the Ukrainian Air Force.
Risk factors in military aviation are always high, and every fighter pilot requires attention and caution. At the same time, this incident has increased respect and sympathy for the air forces among the public and families.
