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Ukrainian MiG-29 Pilot Goes Full Top Gun After Hitting Russian Targets, Video
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![Photo of Vlad Litnarovych]( "Photo of Vlad Litnarovych")
A Ukrainian MiG-29 fighter pilot, callsign Sava, pulled off a combat barrel roll while flying a front-line mission, video footage released by Ukraine’s Western Air Command on July 31 shows.
The footage captures a group of Ukrainian jets taking off to carry out an airstrike on Russian military positions.
Each aircraft in the formation has a specific role—coordinating communications, providing fighter cover, and delivering bombs or missiles. These complex operations demand precision and nerves of steel.
In the video, Sava is seen executing an advanced aerobatic maneuver known as a “barrel roll” immediately after completing a successful strike.
“Air combat is like surgery—no emotions, no room for error,” Sava said.
“But sometimes, after a mission is completed, you just want a breath of fresh air. A barrel roll is that breath after a hard fight. Even in war, it’s worth flying beautifully.”
Sava and his fellow combat pilots operate around the clock, defending Ukraine’s skies against Russian missiles and drones and launching their own strikes deep into enemy lines.
“After hitting the target, the emotions are intense—but it only lasts a moment,” he added. “The flight continues, and you immediately focus on the next task.”
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The MiG-29 is a fourth-generation front-line fighter, developed during the Soviet era and designated “Fulcrum” by NATO. The project began in the late 1960s as a lightweight next-generation fighter, with Mikoyan Design Bureau ultimately winning the competition in 1969.
The prototype first flew on October 6, 1977, and serial production began in 1982. By the mid-1980s, MiG-29 squadrons had entered operational service, and the aircraft debuted internationally at the 1988 Farnborough Airshow. Over 1,200 single-seat MiG-29s were built by 1991, with numerous variants—including carrier-capable models—exported worldwide.
Earlier, a Ukrainian MiG-29 fighter jet carried out a successful strike on a Russian military crossing in the temporarily occupied Zaporizhzhia region using two precision-guided bombs.
