President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy reacted to the plane crash in the Zhytomyr region in an evening address.
"Yesterday, a disaster occurred in the sky over Zhytomyr region. Three pilots died. Among them was Andriy Pilshchykov, call sign Juice. He was a Ukrainian officer, one of those who helped our country a lot. A lot! My condolences to the family and friends, to everyone who knew the guys," he said.
The President emphasized that Ukraine will never forget anyone who defended Ukraine's free sky.
Following the plane crash in the Zhytomyr region, Vasylkiv's tactical aviation brigade confirmed the loss of two more skilled combat pilots - Vyacheslav Minka and Serhiy Prokazin.
Major Vyacheslav Minka resided in the Kyiv region. He rejoined aviation in 2015, prompted by Russia's aggression against Ukraine. By the onset of the full-scale conflict, he had accumulated over 200 flight hours. Minka was a proficient pilot within the brigade, possessing technical expertise and familiarity with various aircraft. A significant portion of his service involved instructing others.
Major Serhiy Prokazin hailed from the Poltava region and dedicated 24 years of his life to aviation, ascending from a pilot role to deputy brigade commander. As of 2022, he had completed over 100 hours of combat flight. His brothers fondly recall his exceptional smile, genuineness, and his readiness to assist during challenging situations.
On the evening of August 26, the fallen pilots' peers organized a farewell ceremony. In a tribute reminiscent of a tradition from World War II, they conducted a poignant act of burning a piano in memory of the deceased pilots.
The press service of the Prosecutor General's Office reports that criminal proceedings were opened over the plane crash, which occurred on August 25.
The case was preliminarily classified under the article on violation of flight rules or preparation for them (Article 416 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). The sanction of the article provides for up to 15 years in prison.
The cause of the crash is currently being established and priority investigative actions are underway.
The State Bureau of Investigation stressed that it will conduct a thorough investigation to determine the cause of the tragedy.
"In particular, special attention will be paid to the technical condition of the aircraft and compliance with flight preparation rules. Specialized experts will conduct a thorough analysis of the black boxes," the statement said.
The press service of the Ukrainian Air Force confirmed the deaths of the three Ukrainian pilots, noting that the crews of two L-39 combat trainer jets collided in the sky while performing a combat mission.
The Air Force expressed their condolences to the families and added that a pilot of the 40th Tactical Aviation Brigade with the call sign JUICE was among the dead.
Citing sources, Ukrainian Pravda online newspaper reported that the call sign JUICE was used by soldier Andriy Pilshchikov, who served as a MiG-29 fighter pilot.
Since the beginning of the large-scale Russian invasion, he has been defending Ukraine's skies, including participating in the air defense of Kyiv. In interviews with leading Western media, he repeatedly called on partners to provide Ukraine with modern fighter jets.