Maj Andrii Pilshchykov UkrAF

Andrii “Juice” Pilshchykov was a Ukrainian pilot in the 40th Tactical Aviation Brigade, which defended the airspace over Kyiv during the Russo-Ukrainian War. During the opening days of the war, Andrii and his colleagues fought the qualitatively and quantitatively superior Russian Air Force to a standstill, preventing Russia from gaining air superiority over Ukraine. Andrii completed over 100 combat missions in Soviet-era MiG-29 fighters. While his combat records remain classified, he was a major participant in the effort to defend Ukrainian infrastructure from Russian drones and cruise missiles. He scored at least one air-to-air victory against an Orlan-10 drone.

He is also responsible for the legend of the “Ghost of Kyiv,” a pilot who allegedly downed six enemy jets during the first week of the war. He convinced his commanders that the ghost should be the symbol of the Ukrainian Air Force, as Russian media claimed that the country’s jets were destroyed. He even posed for a photo as the Ghost of Kyiv, which was widely distributed by the media. Andrii’s information warfare operation helped galvanize Ukrainian resistance against invading Russian forces.

However, Andrii’s greatest contribution was arguably his role in obtaining F-16s for his country. Even before the war, he advocated for the modernization of the Ukrainian Air Force. He was one of the lead planners of Clear Sky 2018, the first joint training exercise involving Ukrainian and American jets. His American colleagues gave him the callsign “Juice” due to his dislike for alcoholic beverages. During interviews, he persistently explained how F-16s would allow Ukraine to protect its cities from incoming missiles and liberate occupied territory. Ultimately, he travelled to the United States to explain this requirement to a group of U.S. Senators and Representatives. His work paid off when the U.S. and a coalition of European nations agreed to donate the jets. Without Andrii’s advocacy, it is unlikely that this agreement would have been reached at this point, if at all.

When he was not actively flying, Andrii served as an informal ambassador for the Ukrainian Air Force. He regularly discussed the air war over his country in great detail with Western media outlets. Furthermore, he was often willing to answer questions posed by complete strangers online. His brusque kindness, humor, and honesty will be fondly remembered by everyone who spoke with him. He exemplified the traits which made Ukrainians admired around the world.

On August 25th, 2023, Andrii tragically lost his life during a training mission. He was just 30 years old. He is survived by his mother, Liliya Averyanova, and his partner, Melaniya Podolyak. While his loss is mourned by his family and friends, his legacy lives on in the form of the people who he defended, the F-16s which will soon soar over Ukraine, and the bonds which he built between his home country and the United States. He will be remembered as one of the most accomplished aviators of the 21st Century and as a hero by Ukrainians and Americans alike.