Ukrainian Top Gun Dies as Plane Shot Down

Ukrainian Air Force pilot Colonel Oleksandr Oksanchenko, reportedly nicknamed “Grey Wolf” was killed in an air battle near Kyiv.

President Volodymyr Zelensky posthumously awarded Oksanchenko with the title of Hero of Ukraine.

Confirming the news today, Ukraine’s government it lost “one of the best fighter pilots in the world” while trying to divert enemy aircraft. Unconfirmed reports say he lost his life on Friday night when his jet was shot down by a Russian S-400.

Oksanchenko was a Sukhoi Su-27 display pilot with the 831st Guards Tactical Aviation Brigade from Myrhorod air base from 2013 to 2018. As per reports, he had more than two thousand flight hours and flawless performance of the most difficult elements of aerobatics. He had taken part at various European air shows including SIAF, Royal International Air Tattoo and the Czech International Air Fest. In particular, at RIAT 2017, flying the Sukhoi Su-27P1M he received the ‘As the Crow Flies’ Trophy (FRIAT Trophy), for the best overall flying demonstration as judged by members of the Friends of the Royal International Air Tattoo.

He left active service and joined the reserves in late 2018, but volunteered to remain in the Ukrainian Flanker Solo Display Team as a coach/advisor and travelled with the team during the 2019 display season. He came out of retirement to defend Ukraine from the Russian invasion.