Ukrainian pilot killed trying to direct damaged fighter away from houses in Donbas
Danylo Murashko (Photo:www.facebook.com/299brigade)
Twenty-four-year-old fighter pilot Danylo Murashko was killed in Donetsk Oblast on Jan. 27, Ukraine’s 299th Tactical Aviation Brigade has reported on Facebook.
The brigade said that from the first day of the full-scale Russian armed aggression, the officer “conscientiously and courageously performed all assigned combat missions, while showing heroic devotion to the military, patriotism, and impeccable service to the Ukrainian people.”
Murashko was a loyal comrade and a shining example for the unit's service members, the post from the brigade said.
From Feb. 24, 2022, to Jan. 27, 2023, Murashko flew 141 combat missions. In difficult conditions of opposition from enemy air defense units and fighters, he destroyed about 70 armored vehicles, more than 80 vehicles, about 30 fuel and lubricant tankers, and about 600 enemy troops.
"Thanks to his skillful actions, he repeatedly evaded the enemy air and missile strikes," the brigade statement reads.
The brigade said that Murashko was awarded the Bohdan Khmelnytskyi Order of all three classes for outstanding achievements in the fight against the adversary.
On Jan. 27, while performing a combat mission as part of a pair, he was shot down by an enemy fighter jet.
"Seeing the village of Shabelkivka nearby, the pilot, despite being at low altitude, tried to divert the plane away from residential buildings until the last second," the brigade said.
As a result, the fighter lost altitude, the pilot could not safely eject, and died a hero's death.
For personal courage and bravery in the defense of state interests, strengthening the defense and security of Ukraine, Major Danylo Murashko was put forward by the command of the military unit for the title of Hero of Ukraine (posthumously).
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