Major Vladislav Savelyev, a Ukrainian pilot who was trained in the US for two years, was killed when his MiG-29 fighter jet was shot down over the territory of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR).
Savelyev was a long-term student of the US military, as he received extensive two-year training at one of the US Air Force bases in Mississippi.
The accident took place on June 2nd, in the Kopachi area. The details surrounding the incident remain limited, however, it is clear that Savelyev was passionate about the American military approach, a fact that shaped his training in the US.
Upon his return to Ukraine, Savelyev was shot down during his first mission, which tragically turned out to be his last. This brings into question Kyiv’s hope to produce ‘invincible’ pilots trained on American F-16s within a short period.
Retired Air Force Colonel Jeffrey Fisher confirmed Savelyev’s death, noting that the US-trained pilot was shot down during one of his earliest missions.
