The Ukrainian pilot killed in a crash on Monday amid a massive attack by Russia was crucial to getting F-16 fighter jets for the country and was remembered as an “exemplary” airman.
Lt. Col. Oleksiy Mes, who was flying one of Ukraine’s handful of US-made F-16 fighter jets when it crashed, was one of only six pilots in the country who could fly the prized planes, according to reports.
Mes, who was known by his call sign “Moonfish,” and another pilot, Andriy “Juice” Pilshchykov, who was killed in a crash in August 2023, together lobbied Ukraine’s Western allies for the F-16s to aid in its war against Russia.
“He heroically fought his last battle in the sky,” the Ukrainian army general staff said in a statement on Thursday.
“Oleksiy destroyed three cruise missiles and one kamikaze drone, while repelling a massive Russian combined air and missile attack. Oleksiy saved Ukrainians from deadly Russian missiles. Unfortunately, at the cost of his own life,” the command said.
Russia launched more than 127 missiles and 100 drones at Ukraine on Monday, targeting critical energy infrastructure, including a dam in Kyiv.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the six jets, which arrived earlier this month, were key to repelling Monday’s barrage, according to reports.
“Oleksiy was an exemplary pilot. Always an excellent student, always the first, always the best,” Tetiana Shevchuk, a friend of both pilots, wrote on Facebook.
“He was the first Ukrainian pilot to sit at the controls of an F-16 and the first to fly combat missions.”
After the deadly crash, Zelensky fired the commander of Ukraine’s air force, Lt. Gen. Mykola Oleshchuk.
