Oleksii Mes

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Template:Pp Template:Infobox military person

Oleksii Mes (20 October 1993 – 26 August 2024) was a Ukrainian fighter pilot with the call sign "Moonfish" of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He died when his F-16 crashed while repelling a Russian missile attack, according to the Ukrainian military. In 2025, he was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine.[1]

Biography

Oeksii Mes was born in Shepetivka on 20 October 1993.[2][3]

As of June 2022, Moonfish was the commander of a squadron of Ukrainian MiG-29 fighters.[4]

In August 2023, Moonfish started a training course in the United Kingdom with plans to eventually fly an F-16.[5]

Advocacy efforts

In June 2022, Moonfish visited the US with another Ukrainian pilot, call sign Juice, to lobby for F-16s for Ukraine.[6] They met with several US lawmakers and explained which modern weapons systems were needed most in Ukraine.[7] Sean Penn accompanied the pilots in some of the meetings, to amplify their message.[8] The pilots met with Adam Kinzinger in his office in Washington, D.C.[9] As a result, Kinzinger introduced the Ukraine Fighter Pilots Act to the United States House of Representatives on 17 June 2022. The bill was cosponsored by other congressmembers.[10][11][12][13]

F-16 involvement

After months of advocacy to ensure F-16s for Ukraine, Moonfish was among the first Ukrainian pilots to start F-16 training in the US. He gave an extensive interview to Ukrainian TV describing the process.[14] In the fall of 2023, his training advanced from a simulator cockpit to actual F-16 airframes.[15]

Death

On 26 August 2024, Moonfish was killed when his F-16 crashed while repelling a Russian aerial attack, according to the Ukrainian military. He was 30.[16][17]

A special commission from the Ministry of Defense has been established to determine the cause of the accident and is currently working in the area where the plane went down.

Ukrainian lawmaker Maryana Bezuhla has claimed, "According to my information, the F-16 of Ukrainian pilot Oleksiy 'Moonfish' Mes was shot down by a Patriot anti-aircraft missile system due to discoordination between units".[18][19][20]Template:Importance inline

Awards

See also

References


External links

 Two Ukrainian Top Guns Lobbied for F-16s. They Won't Get to See if the Jets Help Fend Off Russia..
 
  (Sep 2, 2024)
 
  Retrieved  from The Wall Street Journal

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Decree of the President of Ukraine from 14 березня 2025 year № 165/2025 «Про присвоєння О.Месю звання Герой України» (in Ukrainian)
  2. ↑ Lua error: bad argument #1 to "get" (not a valid title).
  3. ↑ Lua error: bad argument #1 to "get" (not a valid title).
  4. ↑ F-16 мають замінити втрачені українські винищувачі.  (22 June 2022)  Retrieved from Ukrmilitary
  5. ↑ При відборі враховували вік, досвід та знання англійської: пілот ЗСУ розповів про навчання на F-16.  (20 August 2023)  Retrieved from Факти
  6. ↑ Ukrainian Pilots Visit U.S. To Lobby for Fighter Jets.  Kimberly Johnson.  (27 June 2022)  Retrieved from Flying Magazine
  7. ↑ Top Gun Ukrainian pilots push US for jets, senator says lawmakers will 'press the case' with White House.  Caitlin McFall.  (24 June 2022)  Retrieved from Fox News
  8. ↑ Sean Penn helps Ukrainian fighter pilots lobby for US aid.  (25 June 2022)  Retrieved from MSN
  9. ↑ The Air Force has selected a group of pilots to train with Western fighter jets.  Retrieved 26 August 2023 from Militarnyi
  10. ↑ Kinzinger & Houlahan Introduce Ukraine Fighter Pilots Act.  Maura Gillespie.  (17 June 2022)  Retrieved from kinzinger.house.gov
  11. ↑ To authorize appropriations to provide assistance and training to Ukrainian pilots, and for other purposes.  Adam Kinzinger.  (16 June 2022)  Retrieved from kinzinger.house.gov
  12. ↑ H.R.8144 - 117th Congress (2021-2022): Ukrainian Fighter Pilots Act..  Adam Kinzinger.  (17 June 2022)  Retrieved from congress.gov
  13. ↑ Lua error: bad argument #1 to "get" (not a valid title).
  14. ↑ First Ukrainian Pilot on F-16 (TV interview transcript).  (29 September 2023)  Retrieved from novynarnia.com
  15. ↑ Lua error: bad argument #1 to "get" (not a valid title).
  16. ↑ Олексій Месь "Мунфіш". Що відомо про пілота, який загинув на F-16.  (30 August 2024)  Retrieved 2 September 2024 from BBC News Україна
  17. ↑ Exclusive: Top Ukrainian pilot killed when US-made F-16 fighter jet crashed.  (29 August 2024)  Retrieved 29 August 2024 from CNN
  18. ↑ Ukrainian National News (29 August 2024). "MP: F-16 of Ukrainian pilot Oleksiy Mes was probably shot down by Patriot missile system due to lack of coordination" https://unn.ua/en/news/mp-f-16-of-ukrainian-pilot-oleksiy-mes-was-probably-shot-down-by-patriot-missile-system-due-to-lack-of-coordination
  19. ↑ Gulf Insider (29 August 2024). "Ukrainian Army Shoots Down Its Own F16 Jet, Pilot Killed" https://www.gulf-insider.com/ukrainian-army-shoots-down-its-pilot-killed
  20. ↑ Voice of America (29 August 2024). "Zelenskyy fires Air Force chief following F-16 crash" https://www.voanews.com/a/zelenskyy-fires-air-force-chief-following-f-16-crash/7766016.html
  21. ↑ Decree of the President of Ukraine from 6 вересня 2022 year № 627/2022 «Про відзначення державними нагородами України» (in Ukrainian)
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