Ukrainian MiG-29 pilot dies after combat mission. What is known

On the night of August 23, MiG-29 fighter pilot Major Serhii Bondar was killed.

This was reported by the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

It is known that the pilot died after completing a combat mission during landing.

"The causes and circumstances of the crash are being established," the Air Forces added.

UPD at 12:30 PM: The deceased pilot was a pilot of the 40th Tactical Aviation Brigade "Ghost of Kyiv".

Serhii Bondar was the deputy commander of the squadron. He devoted his entire life to aviation, although he had a break in military service. He worked as a lecturer at the National Aviation University.

With the beginning of full-scale Russian aggression, he returned to military service, flying L-39 and MIG-29 aircraft.

He is survived by his wife and two children.

What is known about the losses of the Air Force

Since the start of the full-scale war with Russia, the Ukrainian Air Force has lost several fighter jets and professional pilots. In particular, in August 2023, pilot Andriy "Juice" Pilshchykov and two other pilots died in a plane crash in the Zhytomyr region.

In August 2024, Oleksiy "Moonfish" Mes died while repelling a Russian attack. This was the first officially confirmed loss of an F-16 fighter jet by Ukraine.

And in July 2025, a French-made “Mirage-2000” military aircraft crashed in Volyn — the pilot managed to eject in time. This is the first publicly known case of Ukraine losing such a fighter.

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