Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine; Ukrainian F-16 Pilot Killed

Ukraine has endured its most intense aerial assault since the beginning of the war, as Russia launched a barrage of 537 aerial weapons overnight, according to Ukraine’s air force. The wave of missiles, drones, and decoys struck multiple regions across the country, including areas far from the frontlines in western Ukraine.

Among the weapons fired were 477 drones and decoys, and 60 missiles. Ukrainian forces reported intercepting 249 of these threats, while another 226 were believed to have been diverted by electronic jamming.

The attack included a diverse range of weaponry: four Kh-47M2 Kinzhal hypersonic missiles, seven Iskander-M and KN-23 ballistic missiles (one of which was shot down), and 41 Kh-101 and Iskander-K cruise missiles, of which 33 were intercepted. Five Kalibr cruise missiles were also fired, with four taken down, along with three S-300 surface-to-air missiles.

“This was the most massive air strike in terms of combined drone and missile attacks,” said Yuriy Ihnat, spokesperson for Ukraine’s air force, speaking to the Associated Press.

Tragically, the Ukrainian air force confirmed the loss of an F-16 fighter jet during the onslaught. Lieutenant Colonel Maksym Ustymenko, 32, was killed in action while piloting the aircraft. The air force said Ustymenko successfully shot down seven aerial targets before his jet was hit. While attempting to divert the aircraft from a populated area, he was unable to eject in time. It marks the third confirmed F-16 loss in the conflict.

“Last night, while repelling a large-scale enemy air attack, First Class pilot Lieutenant Colonel Maksym Ustymenko was killed,” the air force stated. “He did everything he could to steer the aircraft away from civilians.”

The scale of the attack triggered a defensive response from NATO allies. Poland and partner nations scrambled fighter jets to safeguard Polish airspace amid the risk of missile or drone overspill from Ukrainian airspace.

Casualties on the ground were also reported. In the Kherson region, one person died following a drone strike, according to regional Governor Oleksandr Prokudin. Six others were injured in Cherkasy, including a child, regional Governor Ihor Taburets said.

The assault comes just days after Russian President Vladimir Putin signaled Moscow’s willingness to resume direct peace talks in Istanbul. While two rounds of negotiations have taken place in Turkey in recent months, they have yielded little progress beyond prisoner exchanges.

Despite continued international calls for de-escalation, the scale and intensity of the latest Russian air assault underscore the challenges facing any future peace settlement.