Ukraine-Russia war live: Ace Ukrainian pilot nicknamed ‘Juice’ among 3 killed as combat jets collide mid-air

Ukraine has lost three military pilots, including a “mega talent” who wished to fly F-16s, after two L-39 combat training aircraft collided west of Kyiv, the air force said. The three men included Andriy Pilshchykov – callsign Juice – “a Ukrainian officer, one of those who greatly helped our state”, said Volodymyr Zelensky. Pilshchykov has been hailed as a “mega talent” and leader of reforms by Air force spokesperson Yuriy Ihnat. This comes as an old interview of Russian Wagner mercenary boss Yevgeny Prigozhin wherein he said he would rather be killed than lie to his country, and talked about a plane disintegrating in the sky has sparked a flood of online theorising about his presumed death. “Today we have reached the boiling point,” he said in the 40-second clip published on Grey Zone, Wagner’s Telegram channel. “Why am I speaking so honestly? Because I don’t have the right, before those people who will live on in this country. They are now being lied to. Better kill me.” The clip has been taken from an interview originally published on 29 April with a Russian military blogger. Read More What we know — and don't know — about the crash of a Russian mercenary's plane Putin says Wagner chief had ‘complicated fate’ – as officials suggest explosion on plane caused fatal crash While world media speculates on Wagner chief's presumed death, Russian state media shies away Wagner has been decapitated – the mercenaries should fear the future