On the night of June 29, 2025, Russian forces once again launched a massive missile and drone strike against Ukraine. During this attack, Colonel Maxim Ustimenko, a first-class pilot, lost his life.

This was reported by the Ukrainian Air Forces.

Quote: "Unfortunately, we are facing another painful loss. This night, while defending against a large-scale air assault from the enemy, first-class pilot Colonel Maxim Ustimenko, born in 1993, was killed. He utilized the full range of onboard weapons, destroying seven aerial targets."

During the execution of his last maneuver, his aircraft sustained damage and began to lose altitude. Maxim did everything possible to steer the plane away from populated areas, but he did not manage to eject in time.

According to military sources, Russia launched over 500 aerial targets that night.

F-16 aircraft, in particular, destroyed dozens of Shahed drones.