Famous Ukrainian fighter pilot ‘Juice’ dies in tragic crash
Famous Ukrainian fighter pilot “Juice” died after a collision of Ukrainian MiG-29s in Zhytomyr oblast on Aug. 25, according to Ukrainian military news outlet Novynarnia.
“You dreamed about F-16s and waited for news about their transfer,” wrote his friend Pavlo Potseluyev on social media.
“You loved your bird and literally lived in the sky. Eternal memory, ‘Juice’. Now you will literally secure our skies.”
Melania Podolyak, believed to be Juice’s girlfriend, indirectly confirmed his death by posting Juice’s chevron with the caption “Forever.”
Information about the accident has not been confirmed by the military or local authorities, though the Trukha Telegram channel published information about the incident yesterday, before deleting it.
Novynarnia reported that it had received unofficial confirmation about the disaster, writing that the planes collided on the afternoon of Aug. 25, the eve of Ukraine’s Aviation Day.
Ukraine’s SBU security service is already investigating the incident, and the Air Force will publish a statement later, reported Novynarnia.
Juice was regularly interviewed by both Ukrainian and Western media, though he never showed his face, nor gave his name. He was an active advocate for the provision of Western fighter jets to Ukraine.
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