Names of pilots killed in Zhytomyr region are announced

on 25 August, a plane crash occurred in the skies of Zhytomyr Region in which three pilots of the 40th tactical aviation brigade of the air command "Air Force Centre of the Armed Forces of Ukraine" died. This was reported by the brigade of tactical aviation of the city of Vasilkov.

While performing a combat mission in the skies above Zhytomyr region, the crews of two training and combat aircraft L-39 collided. As a result of the accident, three pilots were killed. They were experienced pilots - said colleagues of the dead.

As the military noted, from the first days of the war, each of them was involved in air operations in defence of Ukraine, including tactical tasks in the Eastern and Zaporizhzhya directions.

The deceased pilots are reported to be:

Captain Andrei Pilshchikov with the call sign "Juice". He was a native of Kharkov and devoted eight years of his life to aviation. Since the beginning of the full-scale war he had more than 500 hours of flying time. Particularly when performing combat missions in difficult conditions. He received a number of state and departmental awards. He was active in the Western media, in particular in the issue of providing Ukraine with modern F-16 aircraft.

Major Vyacheslav Minka. The pilot lived in the Kiev region. He returned to aviation in 2015, when the Russian aggressor attacked Ukraine. With the beginning of the full-scale invasion he had more than 200 hours of flying time. Was an experienced pilot of the brigade, technically trained. He knew different types of aircraft and devoted a significant part of his service to instructing.

Major Sergey Prokazin is a resident of Poltava region. He devoted 24 years of his life to aviation: from pilot to deputy brigade commander. Since 2022, Prokazin had more than 100 hours of combat flights. His colleagues remember his uncommon smile, sincerity, ability to come to the rescue in difficult situations.

The speaker of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Yuriy Ignat, said on the air of a telethon that the L-39 aircraft were carrying out the combat mission set by the brigade's leadership when they collided in the sky over Zhytomyr Region. He noted that the investigation into the causes of the tragedy will be conducted by specialists, it is necessary to prevent the recurrence of similar disasters in the future.

The air force has provided all the materials to find out what happened and to avoid such horrifying events in the future. State commissions work differently. Usually we have a special laboratory, where there are narrowly focused specialists who are laying out every detail of the aircraft to find out what happened. More information, of course, is in the flight recorders, which have records of radio communication. The investigation can take up to six months," he said.

We will add that the GBI is investigating the plane crash in Zhytomyr region. Now the priority investigative actions are carried out, the inspection of the scene is carried out, witnesses are questioned, a set of examinations is appointed, which will be carried out in the criminal proceedings.