Captain Anton Listopad was recognized a few days ago by Zelensky himself with the Order of Bravery for his bravery against the Russian forces
Ukraine has mourned the death in battle of Captain Anton Listopad, recognized in 2019 as the country’s best fighter pilot and recently awarded for bravery by President Zelensky. Listopad’s death has been confirmed by the Lyceum of Physics and Technology, the training center where he graduated, although it does not explain the day or the circumstances in which it took place. Some sources believe his plane fell during an air raid on the Russian army in Donbas, where Moscow has erected a wide barrier of anti-aircraft fire.
“Anton’s path to becoming a fighter pilot was difficult, but important,” the Liceo statement said, adding: “The young man had stubbornly pursued his dream of becoming a pilot.”
Listopad took part in the counter-offensive on February 24, the first day of the Russian invasion, which dealt a heavy blow to the Ukrainian air force. Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu reported on March 29 that Ukraine’s fighter fleet and air defense systems were “nearly destroyed” with the loss of 123 of its 152 combat aircraft and half of its helicopters. All this predicted that the invasion could end within weeks; an erroneous assumption, as has been shown.
Just as Ukraine lost much of its military infrastructure, it has managed to restore it thanks to international contributions. Demand for aircraft and missiles from Kiev has been a constant throughout the more than five months of the war. Zelensky himself has acknowledged that the inferiority in the air battles was key to the advance of the Russian troops, who now dominate much of Donbas, and to the barbarian sieges that cities such as Bucha or Mariúpol endured. And he doesn’t want to leave that hole open.
A few days after the conflagration started, several media outlets reiterated the death of the so-called “spirit of Kiev,” a sort of aerial hero who allegedly shot down 40 Russian planes in actions as reckless as they were fearless. According to the information, the “ghost” was Stepan Tarabalka, who died on March 13 when his plane was hit by Russian projectiles. The Ukrainian General Staff later denied the existence of this hero. He clarified that this was a legend that consisted of the actions of all the pilots of the 40th Tactical Aviation Brigade of the Air Force, which was responsible for the protection of Kiev. They would “suddenly appear where they’re not expected,” giving rise to the rumor of a mythological spectral pilot.
Lystopad, the last hero of Ukrainian skies, had received the Order of Bravery of the third degree this month. Last year, the General Staff entrusted him with the honor of leading the parade of a column of planes over the capital on the 30th anniversary of the country’s independence. “Millions of Ukrainians watched that flight with admiration and pride,” the Lyceum emphasized.
The Ukrainian Air Force has not exactly stood out for its public visibility since the start of hostilities with Russia, nor is its pilots as well known as the army that defends the territory from the ground. But it is a wing that has played a very important role in the war because of its ability to slow down the Russian advance even when its operational strength was minimal. Its role has been especially essential in the defense of Kiev and its power has only grown since the West, and especially the United States, began to equip it with heavy weapons. Military media have reported in recent days that while Russian bombers and helicopters continue to exert pressure from the front, the number of raids into Ukraine-controlled territory has declined.
The government now hopes to get modern Swedish-made Gripen fighters for a fleet hitherto dominated by US F-16s. “It’s not just the F-16s that are good. There are other modern standards,” Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov said recently.
Source: La Verdad
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