Maksym Ustymenko


Maksym Yuriiovych Ustymenko was a Ukrainian fighter pilot with the rank of pidpolkovnyk in the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He was a participant of the Russo-Ukrainian war, during which he was killed in 2025. He was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine.Decree of the President of Ukraine from 29 червня 2025 year № 444/2025

Biography

Born in 1993, he was a classmate of the fallen pilot and Hero of Ukraine Andrii Pilshchykov.
On the night of 29 June 2025, Ustymenko fought off a massive Russian attack in an F-16 Fighting Falcon|F-16] fighter jet; he managed to destroy seven air targets. While practicing on the last target the plane was damaged; the pilot took the plane away from the settlement, but did not have time to eject.

Awards