It was feared a US-made Patriot surface-to-air missile supplied to Kyiv may have downed his plane.
Lt-Col Oleksii Mes, 31, was killed repelling a massive Russian missile and kamikaze drone strike earlier this week.
He used his Western-supplied plane to destroy three Russian cruise missiles and one drone before the crash, sources said.
Pictures emerged yesterday of the pilot's funeral after he was posthumously awarded the rank of colonel.
This story is from the August 31, 2024 edition of Daily Express.
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This story is from the August 31, 2024 edition of Daily Express.
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