Pilots who died in Zhytomyr region nominated for state awards: why the crash happened and what eyewitnesses said

Pilots Vyacheslav Minka, Serhiy Prokazin and Andriy Pilshchikov, who died in a plane crash in Zhytomyr region, were presented with state awards. An order was also issued to confer military ranks.

All three pilots died on 25 August. This was reported by the Command of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (scroll to the bottom of the page to see the photo).

Lieutenant General Mykola Oleshchuk, Commander of the Ukrainian Air Force, said that the military pilots who tragically died during a combat mission in Zhytomyr region on 25 August have been nominated for state awards.

He added that he had signed an order to award the military ranks of Major Vyacheslav Minta - "Lieutenant Colonel", Major Serhiy Prokazin - "Lieutenant Colonel" and Captain Andriy Pilshchikov - "Major".

The deceased were combat pilots of the 40th Tactical Aviation Brigade of the 'Centre' Air Command of the Ukrainian Air Force. During the full-scale aggression of the Russian Federation, each of them was involved in air operations to defend Ukraine, including tactical missions on the eastern and Zaporizhzhia directions.

It is worth noting that the State Bureau of Investigation is checking three versions of the tragedy when three pilots were killed in a collision between two L-39 combat trainer aircraft in the skies over Zhytomyr region. It is already known that the crash occurred during a turnaround manoeuvre.

The investigation is currently considering three versions: technical failure of the aircraft, pilot error and violations in the organisation of flights.

The L-39 combat trainer aircraft crashed into the gardens of private homes in the Zhytomyr region. Several eyewitnesses said they saw the planes crash. Ruslan, a local resident, said that the planes became uncontrollable while still in the air. According to him, they somehow hit each other during the flight.

Another witness, Lidiya, said that the planes were flying at a distance, but at some point they began to approach each other and then crashed. Another man added that he first heard an explosion.

On 25 August, a plane crash occurred in the Zhytomyr region. Two L-39 combat trainer aircraft collided during a combat mission, killing three Ukrainian pilots.

Earlier it was reported that the crash occurred during a turnaround manoeuvre. A number of examinations are required to determine the true cause of the incident.

As OBOZREVATEL previously reported, the Ukrainian Air Force named three Ukrainian pilots who died on 25 August as a result of a collision between two L-39 combat trainer aircraft in Zhytomyr region.

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